SOPA, the wrong way to deal with piracy

The Stop Online Piracy Act, better known as SOPA has been in the news a lot lately and for good reason. This is a controversial situation, one that if passed could dramatically change the way the internet functions...in theory anyway. Techies are fuming, digital companies are choosing sides, and media companies are crossing their fingers. Online piracy is a serious issue, but personally I don't think something as extreme as SOPA is the answer. It won't pass in its original form, Obama has already said that much, but really the core concept behind the bill I think does more harm than good.

What SOPA wants to do is force search engines to blacklist and block sites that have been accused of copyright violation. Ideally what would happen would be that a lot of those sketchy torrent sites and other illegal download hubs would be shut down, thus reducing unauthorized sharing. But if you think deeper, how does this affect social media usage? And what is the definition of ownership on the internet? Consider Youtube. Under SOPA, large portions of the video database have to be shutdown because videos were repurposed from other sites, or uploaded without permission. The authorities would have to analyze individual Facebook profiles, blogs, and other networks for any videos shared that weren't from an authorized source. Figuring out what's ok and what's not sounds like a really messy matter that will inevitably leave the web savvy public unhappy.
Legislation like this really undermines the beauty of the internet. The web is a place for sharing, searching, and discovering, and this would discourage all of that behavior. Sure a lot of sharing is done illegally, but hackers are talented and they'll continue to find ways to amass and distribute content. If the summer's attacks by Lulzsec and Anonymous are any indication, it probably isn't a good idea to make these people mad either...

So in closing, maybe instead of trying to fight piracy, companies should stop being so stiff and concerned with their bottom lines, and creatively embrace piracy. It would not be an easy endeavor that's for sure, it's a major change from the traditional business mindset, but the internet has made business anything but traditional. I would argue, that brand personality, transparency, and interaction is about as important as operations and a business plan. Encouraging sharing, or distributing select content for free could have a lot of potential benefits. First, it might increase the quality of said content, so users don't have to browse through pixely video or watch a shaky camera recording. Second, this kind of thing can do wonders for brand image. You're essentially giving the people what they want and relating to them, showing that you're not a group of stiff old men and women around a rich mahogany desk plotting how to take people's money. Encourage people to share, and talk, and get some free marketing and increased awareness. If done right, you'll probably end up driving more traffic to your site and be better off in the long run. 

SOPA has implications for everyone who uses the internet. Think about what it means for you and how it can affect others. I encourage you to sign any of the various petitions that are circulating and if you're a corporation, consider a creative alternative and maybe change the internet for the better.