When I write about circumcision and HIV and intactivism, I link to a lot of material elsewhere on the web. I also frequently quote from other material. It's what bloggers do on their blogs. In fact, it's what defines blogging in an interconnected world.
The US Senate would like to empower unhappy big publishers and powerful corporate interests who don't like what blogs do to shut down websites like this one without notice, a hearing, an opportunity to confront accusers and rebut the accusations. The legislation is called the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), and would put every website that writes about or links to other material in legal jeopardy.
As the always entertaining blog, Boing Boing, says today on their site, "This would unmake the Web, just as proposed in the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). We don't want that world. If you don't want it either, visit AmericanCensorship.org for instructions on contacting your Senator. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has more information on this and other issues central to your freedom online."
Note: I would have done a fancy "offline" splash page in place of this post, but the platform and registrar I use require a lot of work to do it and then put it back. Sorry. :(
