Legislative Action Center

AALL opposes the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act (PROTECT IP Act, or PIPA), S. 968, and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), H.R. 3261. Although the bills attempt to address the legitimate problem of international intellectual property infringement, piracy and counterfeiting, we believe that both bills go too far.
 
In May 2011, AALL joined other library associations, free speech advocates and internet groups on a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA), sponsors of PIPA, to express our concerns about the bill. We are especially concerned that PIPA would allow Domain Name System (DNS) servers to cut off access to "rogue" websites. We are also concerned that the bill would give Internet Service Providers (ISPs) incentive to conduct additional surveillance of legitimate online activities.
 
Similar to PIPA, SOPA goes too far in attempting to address infringement. As our one-pager explains, AALL is especially concerned that SOPA could discourage the use of copyrighted or potentially copyrighted works even for legitimate purposes.
 
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Darrell Issa (D-CA-49) have put together an alternative proposal for combating infringement, the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act (OPEN Act), which would employ a more measured solution. The legislation uses a 'follow-the-money' approach by expanding the International Trade Commission's existing authority to enforce copyright and trademark infringement.
 
UPDATE: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has postponed the cloture vote on PIPA. Despite this positive development, we still need you to write or call your Senators NOW to urge them to vote NO on S. 968.