1 00:00:00,729 --> 00:00:05,038 The Internet is one of the United States' most robust and growing industries. 2 00:00:05,038 --> 00:00:07,922 It enables free and open communication among billions, 3 00:00:07,922 --> 00:00:10,890 and it's been the backbone for protests around the world. 4 00:00:10,890 --> 00:00:14,189 But a new bill proposes to give the power to censor the Internet 5 00:00:14,189 --> 00:00:16,852 to the entertainment industry. 6 00:00:16,852 --> 00:00:20,130 It's called PROTECT IP, and here's how it works. 7 00:00:21,438 --> 00:00:25,359 Private corporations want the ability to shut down unauthorized sites 8 00:00:25,359 --> 00:00:28,528 where people download movies, TV shows, and music. 9 00:00:28,528 --> 00:00:31,634 Since most of these sites are outside US jurisdiction, 10 00:00:31,634 --> 00:00:35,822 PROTECT IP uses a couple different tactics within American borders. 11 00:00:35,822 --> 00:00:38,045 Firstly, it gives the government the power to make 12 00:00:38,045 --> 00:00:42,560 US Internet providers block access to infringing domain names. 13 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,140 They can also sue US-based search engines, 14 00:00:45,140 --> 00:00:47,438 directories, or even blogs and forums, 15 00:00:47,438 --> 00:00:50,071 to have links to these sites removed. 16 00:00:50,071 --> 00:00:52,060 Secondly, PROTECT IP gives corporations and 17 00:00:52,060 --> 00:00:54,474 the government the ability to cut off funds to 18 00:00:54,474 --> 00:00:57,934 infringing websites by having US-based advertisers 19 00:00:57,934 --> 00:01:00,674 and payment services cancel those accounts. 20 00:01:00,674 --> 00:01:04,356 In a nutshell, that's what PROTECT IP will try to do. 21 00:01:04,356 --> 00:01:07,828 But in all likelihood, it'll do something else altogether. 22 00:01:09,213 --> 00:01:12,236 For starters, it won't stop downloaders. 23 00:01:12,236 --> 00:01:14,324 You'll still be able to access a blocked site 24 00:01:14,324 --> 00:01:18,245 just by entering its IP address instead of its name. 25 00:01:18,245 --> 00:01:21,456 What PROTECT IP will do is cripple new startups 26 00:01:21,456 --> 00:01:24,042 because it also lets companies sue any site 27 00:01:24,042 --> 00:01:26,795 they feel isn't doing their filtering well enough. 28 00:01:26,795 --> 00:01:29,590 These lawsuits could easily bankrupt new search engines 29 00:01:29,590 --> 00:01:31,508 and social media sites. 30 00:01:31,508 --> 00:01:34,136 And PROTECT IP's wording is ambiguous enough 31 00:01:34,136 --> 00:01:36,734 that important social media sites could become 32 00:01:36,734 --> 00:01:37,556 targets. 33 00:01:37,556 --> 00:01:39,875 Lots of trailblazing websites could look like 34 00:01:39,875 --> 00:01:42,456 piracy heavens to the wrong judge. 35 00:01:42,456 --> 00:01:45,265 Tumblr, SoundCloud, an early YouTube, 36 00:01:45,265 --> 00:01:47,274 wherever people express themselves, make art, 37 00:01:47,274 --> 00:01:50,027 broadcast news or organize protests, 38 00:01:50,027 --> 00:01:52,477 there's plenty of TV footage, movie clips, 39 00:01:52,477 --> 00:01:54,903 and copyrighted music mixed in. 40 00:01:54,903 --> 00:01:56,518 And even if you trust the US government 41 00:01:56,518 --> 00:01:58,905 not to abuse their new power to censor the Net, 42 00:01:58,905 --> 00:02:01,054 what about the countries that follow in our path 43 00:02:01,054 --> 00:02:02,664 and pass similar laws? 44 00:02:02,664 --> 00:02:04,470 People around the world will have very different 45 00:02:04,470 --> 00:02:07,122 Internets, and unscrupulous governments will have 46 00:02:07,122 --> 00:02:09,463 powerful tools to hinder free expression. 47 00:02:09,463 --> 00:02:12,865 But perhaps most dangerously, PROTECT IP will 48 00:02:12,865 --> 00:02:15,477 meddle with the inner workings of the Net. 49 00:02:15,477 --> 00:02:18,085 Experts believe by fiddling with the web's registry 50 00:02:18,085 --> 00:02:20,724 of domain names, the result will be less security, 51 00:02:20,724 --> 00:02:22,225 and less stability. 52 00:02:22,225 --> 00:02:25,515 In short, PROTECT IP won't stop piracy, but it will 53 00:02:25,515 --> 00:02:28,515 introduce vast potential for censorship and abuse, 54 00:02:28,515 --> 00:02:31,696 while making the web less safe and less reliable. 55 00:02:31,696 --> 00:02:33,943 This is the Internet we're talking about! 56 00:02:33,943 --> 00:02:36,281 It's a vital and vibrant medium. 57 00:02:36,281 --> 00:02:38,075 And our government is tampering with its 58 00:02:38,075 --> 00:02:41,462 basic structure, so people will maybe buy more 59 00:02:41,462 --> 00:02:43,163 Hollywood movies. 60 00:02:43,163 --> 00:02:45,957 But Hollywood movies don't get grassroots candidates 61 00:02:45,957 --> 00:02:48,623 elected. They don't overthrow corrupt regimes, 62 00:02:48,623 --> 00:02:51,363 and the entire entertainment industry doesn't even 63 00:02:51,363 --> 00:02:53,523 contribute that much to our economy. 64 00:02:53,523 --> 00:02:56,551 The Internet does all these, and more. 65 00:02:56,551 --> 00:03:00,347 Corporations already have tools to fight piracy. 66 00:03:00,347 --> 00:03:02,766 They have the power to take down specific content, 67 00:03:02,766 --> 00:03:05,894 to sue peer-to-peer software companies out of existence, 68 00:03:05,894 --> 00:03:08,885 and to sue journalists just for talking about how to 69 00:03:08,885 --> 00:03:10,397 copy a DVD. 70 00:03:10,397 --> 00:03:12,901 They have a history of stretching and abusing 71 00:03:12,901 --> 00:03:15,343 their powers. They tried to take a baby video 72 00:03:15,343 --> 00:03:17,489 off YouTube, just for the music playing in 73 00:03:17,489 --> 00:03:19,825 the background. They've used legal penalties 74 00:03:19,825 --> 00:03:22,269 written for large-scale commercial piracy 75 00:03:22,269 --> 00:03:24,663 to go after families and children. 76 00:03:24,663 --> 00:03:27,124 They even sued to ban the VCR and the first 77 00:03:27,124 --> 00:03:28,747 MP3 players. 78 00:03:28,747 --> 00:03:33,090 So the question is, "How far will they take all this?" 79 00:03:33,090 --> 00:03:35,924 The answer at this point, is obvious. 80 00:03:35,924 --> 00:03:38,712 As far as we'll let them.