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Five major SOPA supporters

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act or PIPA, would allow the US government to seek a court order and even shut down websites that contain content or links “committing or facilitating online piracy.” Moreover, advertisers and Internet service providers would be banned from doing business with violators.
However, payment and advertising networks, search engines or service providers that take voluntary action to redress detected violations – by terminating businesses with transgressor sites or comply with the law – will be granted immunity from liability charges.
On Sept. 22, 2011, more than 350 trade associations, professional and labor organizations, and businesses signed a letter urging Congress to enact legislation to stop “rogue sites” from copyright infringement.
Here are five key SOPA and PIPA supporters:
How five websites are protesting SOPA

Five major websites will go dark on Wednesday protesting two Congressional bills, which critics argue could curtail Internet and free speech.
If passed, The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act or PIPA, would allow the US government to seek a court order and even shut down websites that contain content or links to unauthorized copyrighted content. Moreover, advertisers and Internet service providers would be banned from doing business with transgressors.
Proponents of the legislation include companies that are trying to protect their copyrights, such as the Motion Picture Association of America, The NBA, Pfizer, Nike, L'Oreal, as well as the US Chamber of Commerce, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the US Conference of Mayors.
However, voices of opposition include Internet giants Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter, eBay, Mozilla, and Wikipedia – who say that the proposed laws constitute a First Amendment violation, promote censorship, and harm the democratic flow of information. Check out how five major websites plan to protest SOPA and PIPA:
4 recent cases of plagiarism charges in the headlines

Plagiarism charges regularly plague the book world, often resulting in tarnished reputations. For those accused, the allegations are humiliating, while the writers plagiarized often feel themselves to be the victims of a theft for which they are never fully compensated. In recent cases, plagiarism charges have swirled around a variety of different kinds of publications: an award-wining French novel, a 2006 congressional report, the memoir of former President George W. Bush, and the "Harry Potter" series.
Holiday gift guide 2010: Gadgets

What would Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa be without some new electronic gadgets? We have three of them for you to consider this holiday season. If you decide to purchase some of these items, perhaps you would consider using the link under the item and help the Monitor at the same time.
Five countries challenging Google

Online privacy has become a key civil liberty battleground. Companies such as Facebook and Google are amassing data about users' choices and activities, which businesses – and governments – would like access to.
Across Europe, a backlash against the storage of online users data is growing. In Germany almost 35,000 people, including Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, sued their own government over the issue.
Here are five countries where Google faces privacy, censorship, or other fights.

All Content

Latin America Monitor
Lost in translation: English in Brazil

Brazil is considered a 'low English proficiency' country, and ranks among the lowest in the world for workplace fluency, putting the emerging economy at a disadvantage, writes a guest blogger.
Words whose job descriptions have narrowed

Is a woman in a 'fetching' outfit really like a puppy with a stick? How some words seem to travel in very small circles.
On the death of Encyclopaedia Britannica: All authoritarian regimes eventually fall

Let us trumpet the end of Encyclopaedia Britannica's print edition. We should celebrate the fact that in a Web 2.0, Wikipedia world, information now roams free. It lives and breathes, loosed from cages where it was allowed to reproduce only once a year, edition by edition.
Cover Story
Video game nation: Why so many play

A journey through the world of video games, which 183 million Americans play – 25 percent over age 50. What's behind the fascination?
Chapter & Verse
Encyclopedia Britannica puts an end to print publishing

The familiar Encyclopedia Britannica reference books will now only be published digitally, says the company.
Encyclopaedia Britannica: After 244 years in print, only digital copies sold

Encyclopaedia Britannica cost $1400 for a full 32-volume print edition. Only 4,000 are left in stock. Now, the Encyclopaedia Britannica will only be available in digital versions.
Vox News
Why did Rush Limbaugh defend Joseph Kony and Lord's Resistance Army (+video)?

Rush Limbaugh criticized Obama last October for sending US troops to kill Joseph Kony's 'Christian' fighters. When apprised by listeners of the LRA's record, he expressed surprise.
When E.B. White is also Grandpa

E.B. White granddaughter Martha keeps loving watch over a unique literary legacy.
The Circle Bastiat
Ron Paul's Fed chairman

For both Paul and Gingrich, Jim Grant would be an important player in federal finances.
Global News Blog
Wikipedia’s cultural mission in India

After moving to big cities, some preserve their culture through Wikipedia entries written in regional languages.
If feds can bust Megaupload, why bother with anti-piracy bills?

A growing battle over copyright on the internet came to a head this week as digital protests scuttled two anti-piracy bills, police arrested Megaupload's millionaire filesharing pirate, and hackers brought down the Department of Justice website.
Horizons
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg lashes out at SOPA, PIPA

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, took to his social-networking site yesterday to speak out against SOPA and PIPA, which Zuckerberg called "poorly thought out laws." 
Feds shut down file-sharing website Megaupload

An indictment accuses Megaupload.com of costing copyright holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated films and other content.
PIPA and SOPA: What you need to know

As PIPA and SOPA work their way through Congress, the controversial bills have raised many questions. The most common: Wait, what are PIPA and SOPA?
The Vote
SOPA and PIPA protest power: why Marco Rubio backed off piracy bill

Sen. Marco Rubio was one of the original co-sponsors of the Senate's anti-piracy bill, but he reversed course Wednesday amid a flurry of protests against PIPA and SOPA.
Five major SOPA supporters

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act or PIPA, would allow the US government to seek a court order and even shut down websites that contain content or links “committing or facilitating online piracy.” Moreover, advertisers and Internet service providers would be banned from doing business with violators.
However, payment and advertising networks, search engines or service providers that take voluntary action to redress detected violations – by terminating businesses with transgressor sites or comply with the law – will be granted immunity from liability charges.
On Sept. 22, 2011, more than 350 trade associations, professional and labor organizations, and businesses signed a letter urging Congress to enact legislation to stop “rogue sites” from copyright infringement.
Here are five key SOPA and PIPA supporters:
SOPA and PIPA bills: old answers to 21st-century problems, critics say

The SOPA and PIPA bills are an attempt by the music and movie industries to hold on to outdated business models, critics say. But finding compromise on anti-piracy laws could be tough.
Would SOPA and PIPA bills 'break Internet?' Anti-piracy measure being revised.

On the verge of passage in Congress, the SOPA and PIPA bills targeting online piracy have been bounced back for revision in the face of a public outcry and high-profile Internet protests.
Web protests over piracy bills while China slaps Internet curbs

Legislation in Congress aims to curb Web theft of intellectual property while Beijing cracks down on bloggers. Both nations must weigh the cost to creativity that leads to innovation.
Horizons
SOPA blackout: How to get around the Wikipedia protest

Wikipedia imposed a SOPA blackout today, redacting its English encyclopedia in protest of the US bill. Don't worry. Here are five ways to get around the blackout.
Why Google and Twitter didn't join the SOPA blackout

Wikipedia, Reddit, and other sites are blacked out in protest of the SOPA anti-piracy bills. Why didn't Google and Twitter join the blackout?
Horizons
SOPA blackout: What happened to Wikipedia?

Wikipedia is offline today. Here's why. 
Wikipedia blackout: Why even supporters question anti-SOPA move

The Wikipedia blackout is intended to spotlight the value of open access to information on the Internet, but also underlies how fractious the move is, drawing fire from both critics and supporters.
How five websites are protesting SOPA

Five major websites will go dark on Wednesday protesting two Congressional bills, which critics argue could curtail Internet and free speech.
If passed, The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate counterpart, the Protect IP Act or PIPA, would allow the US government to seek a court order and even shut down websites that contain content or links to unauthorized copyrighted content. Moreover, advertisers and Internet service providers would be banned from doing business with transgressors.
Proponents of the legislation include companies that are trying to protect their copyrights, such as the Motion Picture Association of America, The NBA, Pfizer, Nike, L'Oreal, as well as the US Chamber of Commerce, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the US Conference of Mayors.
However, voices of opposition include Internet giants Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter, eBay, Mozilla, and Wikipedia – who say that the proposed laws constitute a First Amendment violation, promote censorship, and harm the democratic flow of information. Check out how five major websites plan to protest SOPA and PIPA:
Wikipedia blackout: Site to protest SOPA

Wikipedia blackout is scheduled to occur Wednesday and last for 24 hours. A Wikipedia blackout would add heft to protests against the Stop Online Piracy Act.