Proposed SOPA Fixes from the Higher Education & Library Communities (11/29/2011)

Published:
Briefs, Case Studies, Papers, Reports
Author(s) and Contributors:
Source(s) and Collection(s):
Sources(s): EDUCAUSE Policy Office
ParentTopics:
Copyright Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

Abstract

This "Proposed SOPA Fixes" document follows on the earlier EDUCAUSE document which identified four key areas of concern in the "Stop Online Piracy Act" or "SOPA" (H.R. 3261):

  1. The definitions in the bill create broad and unpredictable liabilities.
  2. The DNS and search filtering provisions undermine cybersecurity and will not work.
  3. Provisions in the bill place the status of the DMCA safe harbors in doubt.
  4. The streaming provision could impose criminal liability on good faith, non-profit institutions and actors.

The proposed fixes, developed by the Association for Research Libraries in collaboration with EDUCAUSE, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and other interested parties in higher education, are designed to alleviate each of those concerns in turn.

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