Wikipedia has begun its 24-hour protest over proposed anti-piracy laws in the US by taking down its English-language site.


January,18, 2012 9:30


Founder Jimmy Wales had earlier announced on Twitter that the free
encyclopaedia’s English website would be joining a day-long ‘blackout’
in protest at two laws currently going through Congress – the Stop
Online Piracy Act (Sopa) and its sister bill, the Protect-IP Act (Pipa).


Those in the UK attempting to access Wikipedia today will be
met with a black screen and a message which reads: ‘For over a decade,
we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopaedia in
human history.


‘Right now, the US Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open internet.


‘For 24 hours, to raise awareness we are blacking out Wikipedia.’


Other sites taking part in the ‘blackout’ include Reddit and
Boing Boing. The protest is not being supported by all major websites
though, with Twitter CEO Dick Costolo dismissing Wikipedia’s stance as
‘foolish’.


Responding to a question on the social-networking site about
whether Twitter would join the protest this week, Costolo replied:
'That’s just silly. Closing a global business in reaction to a
single-issue national politics is foolish.'


If passed, the two bills currently being considered by
Congress would give US authorities the power to close websites thought
to be giving illegal access to copyrighted or ‘pirated’ material.


Those in the entertainment industry have supported the move
but opponents claim it could harm the right to free speech and act as a
form of censorship across the internet.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/887675-wikipedia-begins-24-hour-blackout-in-protest-over-us-anti-piracy-plans#ixzz1jngvzXkE