Groups Call On Congress To Step Back From SOPA-Style Legislation

Some 70 groups from across the social and political spectrum have sent a letter to the US Senate and House of Representatives calling for them to step back from any anti-piracy legislation until more consideration can be given of the effect on the internet.

“Now is the time for Congress to take a breath, step back, and approach the issues from a fresh perspective,” they said.

Groups representing digital rights, technology companies, media, libraries, human rights, women’s rights, transparency initiatives, and others signed the letter, which is available here.

Advocacy group Public Knowledge said in a blog post, here, that the recent effort that led to Congress withdrawing the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) (IPW, Access to Knowledge, 20 January 2012) was not the work of industry but of internet users.