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New streaming provisions would cause further damage.
EFF calls SOPA "the worst piece of IP legislation we've seen in the last decade - and that's saying something," given how much has been introduced.
Bush administration extremists waged war on Internet freedom. Much more happened under his successor pledging to protect it.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D. CA) expressed alarm, saying "I'm still reviewing (SOPA), but from what I've already read, this would mean the end of the Internet as we know it" if enacted.
Leahy's PROTECT-IP is a companion bill. An earlier version was introduced in the Senate last year. At the time, Lofgren said:
"I'm particularly concerned that it could set a precedent for further control and censorship of the Internet by foreign governments, and risk the fragmentation of the global domain name system. Many prominent human rights activists and Internet engineers have voiced these concerns, and they deserve serious consideration."
Influential high-tech companies like Google and Yahoo strongly oppose SOPA. Some critics call it the E-Parasite Act. House leaders promised to correct PROTECT-IP flaws. SOPA's are worse by creating ill-defined sweeping new liability standards designed to censor.
If enacted, media companies will have unprecedented new powers. Internet freedom will be jeopardized. So will a free and open society.
Its provisions will empower the Attorney General to cut off access and funding for alleged "parasite" foreign sites. Domestic ones are also affected.
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