Craig Skistmas, founder of screwattack.com, and Mark Kern, CEO of Red 5 Studios, are just a couple of the well-known names in the video game industry who will be joining together to boycott the 2012 Entertainment Expo due to the show organizer’s (called ESA) support of the SOPA and PIPA bills.
If you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past several months – or missed the Wikipedia blackout the past 24 hours – let me fill you in on both of these bills.
SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act, is a bill that was introduced in the United States House of Representatives in October of 2011. If SOPA is made into a law, it would expand the ability of U.S. law enforcement and copyright holders to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods. Opponents claim that it violates the U.S. First Amendment, is Internet censorship, will cripple the Internet, and will threaten whistle-blowing and other free speech actions. Currently the SOPA bill is on hold and is expected to resume in February.
PIPA is also known as the PROTECT IP Act, which itself is an acronym (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act). In fact, PIPA failed to pass in 2010 when it was known as COICA. Whatever you call it, PIPA is a proposed law with the stated goal of giving the US government and copyright holders additional tools to curb access to “rogue websites dedicated to infringing or counterfeit goods”, especially those registered outside the U.S. The bill was introduced in May of 2011. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that implementation of the bill would cost the federal government $47 million through 2016. The Senate Judiciary Committee actually passed the bill, but Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden placed a hold on it, citing concerns over possible damage to freedom of speech, innovation, and Internet integrity.
So what’s all this about boycotting E3? I’m glad you asked. The ESA, Entertainment Software Association, is widely recognized as the representative of the video game industry. They were the Champions when the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the video game industry, when California lawmakers challenged the medium of video games as “free speech”. Back then, the ESA deserved our support but now their position on free speech has taken a 180 degree tailspin. By supporting these bills, the many gamers and industry gurus feel the ESA has turned their back on them. By boycotting and refusing to cover the ESA organized E3 tradeshow, we little members of our widespread community can do our part to stand up to corporate lobbying.
People much more educated and intelligent than myself are worried about both of these bills. I’m just a lowly video game blogger, not to get rich but for the love of video games. I may not know much but when my Internet is threatened, I don’t take kindly to it. No sir, that doesn’t sit well with me at all. I like watching babies dance to Beyoncé songs. I like watching Josh here on videogamesblogger.com do walkthoughs. I like helping readers find Swampy’s Collection items. If those things were taken from me, I would be heartbroken, no exaggeration.
Anyone who knows even a little bit about online piracy knows for a fact it can’t be stopped, smart people will find a way. Everyone else who uses the internet will be caught in the cross-fire. In this day and age the entertainment industry, especially the video game industry, needs to evolve and fight the problem of piracy on their own, without lobbying for laws to hold the internet hostage. Of course, that’s just my opinion, as expressed in my video below. If anyone reading this post agrees or disagrees, I would love to hold a civil debate in the comments below.
Thanks for reading. Love and Peace, from my PC to yours.
January 20 update: Although ESA has already spent $190,000 lobbying for SOPA, the public’s pressure on them to stop supporting SOPA or risk losing the game industry’s support for their E3 2012 show has made them fold! ESA has officially dropped support of the SOPA & PIPA bills by releasing the following statement:
“From the beginning, ESA has been committed to the passage of balanced legislation to address the illegal theft of intellectual property found on foreign rogue sites. Although the need to address this pervasive threat to our industry’s creative investment remains, concerns have been expressed about unintended consequences stemming from the current legislative proposals. Accordingly, we call upon Congress, the Obama Administration, and stakeholders to refocus their energies on producing a solution that effectively balances both creative and technology interests. As an industry of innovators and creators, we understand the importance of both technological innovation and content protection and are committed to working with all parties to encourage a balanced solution.”