The Victory Lap That Won't End

The tech industry found another occasion night to cheer its victory in defeating controversial online anti-piracy legislation at the Consumer Electronics Association's annual Digital Patriot's Dinner.

CEA's turn came a month after the Center for Democracy and Technology used its annual "tech prom" to applaud efforts to defeat the anti-piracy bills known as the Stop Online Piracy Act in the House and the Senate's Protect IP Act. Even though both bills enjoyed strong support from Washington heavyweights like the Motion Picture Association of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, congressional leaders sidelined the measures in January after an unprecedented protest from tech firms, civil libertarians and Internet activists against the two bills. Opponents argued that the legislation, aimed at curbing piracy and counterfeiting on foreign websites, would stifle innovation and online free speech.