If SOPA or PIPA are passed, the federal government will have the authority to shut down websites without due process.
Two bills presented to Congress on Wednesday sparked widespread protests across the Internet. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) seek to stop piracy and copyright infringement online, a topic that has caused intense debate since the formation of the Internet.
While most online companies and websites agree that piracy needs to be stopped, outcry has arisen over the language proposed in the bills, particularly with SOPA. Under section 103 of the bill, websites are committing copyright infringement if it "enables or facilitates copyright violation or circumvention of copyright protection measures."
Chris Heald, a programmer for the website Mashables, pointed out that the definition of copyright infringement is too vague and SOPA gives the government widespread power to prosecute anyone sharing links on websites such as YouTube, Facebook, e-mail, Wikipedia, Twitter and dozens of other sites.
"This bill turns us all into criminals," Heald wrote in a post on Mashables.com. "If it passes, then you either stop using the Internet, or you simply hope that you never end up in the crosshairs, because if you're targeted, you will be destroyed by this bill. This bill will kill American innovation and development of the Internet, as it will become too risky to do anything of value. It is toxic and dangerous, and should not, under any circumstances, be supported."
Internet giants across the Web have shown their opposition to SOPA and PIPA by disbanding their services and urging users to contact members of Congress. Wikipedia had a "black out page," prompting Internet users to contact their local representatives after typing in their zip code. Wikipedia said their website was viewed 162 million times on Wednesday and eight million people contacted their politicians.
Google covered its logo with a black box. Clicking on the censored logo brought users to a petition against the bill by signing in with their e-mail.
Numerous corporations support the bills, stating that copyright infringement is hurting American jobs and the overall economy. Ford Motor Company, NHL, NFL, Sony, Wal-Mart, Nike and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) are just a few of hundreds of corporations that support SOPA and PIPA. The MPAA believes search engines such as Google and online payment services such as PayPal negatively impact the American economy and the film industry.
"Meaningful legislation must include measured and reasonable remedies that include ad brokers, payment processors and search engines," the MPAA posted on its website. "They must be part of a solution that stops theft and protects American consumers."
As of Thursday, 62 members of Congress supported legislation that would censor websites on the Internet while 102 members opposed such legislation, according to propublica.org.
Michigan Rep. Dale Kildee (D- District 5) said that he would be against the bill if it showed up on the house floor. Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers (R-District 
in an e-mail said, "I have long defended the protection of intellectual property, but I have some concerns about the unintended consequences of government regulation of the Internet."
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Michigan) said that he was concerned about the current version of PIPA and that a Judiciary Committee is reworking the bill.
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) did not respond before press time.
The Senate is scheduled to vote on PIPA Jan. 24. SOPA is still in the preliminary stages of the House.
How websites protested SOPA and PIPA
Wikipedia had a "black out" day for 24 hours, redirecting traffic on its website to a black page explaining SOPA and PIPA and why the website opposes it. Users were then prompted to type in their zip codes and contact respective representatives and senators in order to voice opposition to the bills.
Google placed a black censorship box around its logo. An online graphic of statistics appeared after clicking on the logo. Users could also sign an online petition against the bills by providing their name and e-mail.
WordPress, a blogging website, placed censorship bars on every item of its homepage. Clicking on the censorship bars brought users to another page where they could write to Congress members directly.
Craigslist, the Internet's biggest classifieds website, shut down its services on their homepage and urged users to contact their respective Congress members.
