Wikipedia plans blackout to protest anti-piracy act

[News_Editor]

Wikipedia plans blackout to protest anti-piracy act

2012-01-17 08:19:45 GMT+7 (ICT)

SAN FRANCISCO (BNO NEWS) -- The community of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia is in favor of shutting down the website on Wednesday to protest controversial U.S. anti-piracy legislation, its co-founder said on Monday.

Jimmy Wales said the 'emerging consensus of the community' appears to be in favor of a total 24-hour shutdown of Wikipedia on Wednesday, starting at midnight Eastern Standard Time (0500 GMT). "We need to send Washington a big message," he said.

Wales is one of the most prominent opponents of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its U.S. Senate sister PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). The bills aim to crack down on U.S. and international websites which host or provide access to copyrighted material without the permission of their owners.

But opponents, many web companies and human rights groups, claim it would be 'devastating' to a free and open internet. The new laws would enable copyright holders to complain to law enforcement agencies and get the websites shut down while search engines would be required to remove links to the websites.

Wales said the 24-hour blackout will only affect Wikipedia English, which receives an estimated 25 million daily visitors on average, although its other languages may decide to join in. "Each language can hold their own vote, but the primary target is U.S. voters," he wrote on Twitter on Monday.

"[Wikipedia English will show] a letter from the community and a call to action - to call and write Congress," Wales said. "My goal is to melt switchboards!" Wikipedia's German version plans to run a banner in opposition of SOPA and PIPA, he added.

Smaller websites such as Reddit.com and Cheezeburger are also expected to join the 24-hour blackout.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-01-17

[Tywais]

Wikipedia blackout over piracy bill

2012-01-17 08:26

Portland - Wikipedia will black out the English language version of its website on Wednesday to protest anti-piracy legislation under consideration in Congress, the foundation behind the popular community-based online encyclopaedia said in a statement.

The website will go dark for 24 hours in an unprecedented move that brings added muscle to a growing base of critics of the legislation. Wikipedia is considered one of the internet's most popular websites, with millions of visitors daily.

"If passed, this legislation will harm the free and open internet and bring about new tools for censorship of international websites inside the United States," the Wikimedia foundation said.

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