Son of SOPA: The Internet under siege

[Commentary] The fight to preserve an open Internet more and more resembles a giant game of Whac-A-Mole.

While everyone is fussing over the FFC's latest proposal to gut Net neutrality, the powers behind SOPA and PIPA -- legislation that died in Congress two years ago in the face of massive protests by Internet users -- continue to pursue their aims in back-room trade negotiations and proposals for copyright reform. This multi-front war demonstrates the determination of organizations like BSA and MPAA/RIAA to force Internet companies to bear responsibility for patrolling and punishing copyright violators. While no one defends genuine copyright piracy, InfoWorld's Robert X. Cringely argues that "service providers shouldn't be forced to police it, we shouldn't have to pay for it, the Net's infrastructure shouldn't be broken to accommodate it, and innocent websites shouldn't have to suffer for it."

In the battle to preserve an open Internet, as in Whac-A-Mole, it's best to stay vigilant.