WEBVTT 00:00:00.729 --> 00:00:05.038 The Internet is one of the United States' most robust and growing industries. 00:00:05.038 --> 00:00:07.922 It enables free and open communication among billions, 00:00:07.922 --> 00:00:10.890 and it's been the backbone for protests around the world. 00:00:10.890 --> 00:00:14.189 But a new bill proposes to give the power to censor the Internet 00:00:14.189 --> 00:00:16.852 to the entertainment industry. 00:00:16.852 --> 00:00:20.130 It's called PROTECT IP, and here's how it works. 00:00:21.438 --> 00:00:25.359 Private corporations want the ability to shut down unauthorized sites 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:28.528 where people download movies, TV shows, and music. 00:00:28.528 --> 00:00:31.634 Since most of these sites are outside US jurisdiction, 00:00:31.634 --> 00:00:35.822 PROTECT IP uses a couple different tactics within American borders. 00:00:35.822 --> 00:00:38.045 Firstly, it gives the government the power to make 00:00:38.045 --> 00:00:42.560 US Internet providers block access to infringing domain names. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:45.140 They can also sue US-based search engines, 00:00:45.140 --> 00:00:47.438 directories, or even blogs and forums, 00:00:47.438 --> 00:00:50.071 to have links to these sites removed. 00:00:50.071 --> 00:00:52.060 Secondly, PROTECT IP gives corporations and 00:00:52.060 --> 00:00:54.474 the government the ability to cut off funds to 00:00:54.474 --> 00:00:57.934 infringing websites by having US-based advertisers 00:00:57.934 --> 00:01:00.674 and payment services cancel those accounts. 00:01:00.674 --> 00:01:04.356 In a nutshell, that's what PROTECT IP will try to do. 00:01:04.356 --> 00:01:07.828 But in all likelihood, it'll do something else altogether. 00:01:09.213 --> 00:01:12.236 For starters, it won't stop downloaders. 00:01:12.236 --> 00:01:14.324 You'll still be able to access a blocked site 00:01:14.324 --> 00:01:18.245 just by entering its IP address instead of its name. 00:01:18.245 --> 00:01:21.456 What PROTECT IP will do is cripple new startups 00:01:21.456 --> 00:01:24.042 because it also lets companies sue any site 00:01:24.042 --> 00:01:26.795 they feel isn't doing their filtering well enough. 00:01:26.795 --> 00:01:29.590 These lawsuits could easily bankrupt new search engines 00:01:29.590 --> 00:01:31.508 and social media sites. 00:01:31.508 --> 00:01:34.136 And PROTECT IP's wording is ambiguous enough 00:01:34.136 --> 00:01:36.734 that important social media sites could become 00:01:36.734 --> 00:01:37.556 targets. 00:01:37.556 --> 00:01:39.875 Lots of trailblazing websites could look like 00:01:39.875 --> 00:01:42.456 piracy heavens to the wrong judge. 00:01:42.456 --> 00:01:45.265 Tumblr, SoundCloud, an early YouTube, 00:01:45.265 --> 00:01:47.274 wherever people express themselves, make art, 00:01:47.274 --> 00:01:50.027 broadcast news or organize protests, 00:01:50.027 --> 00:01:52.477 there's plenty of TV footage, movie clips, 00:01:52.477 --> 00:01:54.903 and copyrighted music mixed in. 00:01:54.903 --> 00:01:56.518 And even if you trust the US government 00:01:56.518 --> 00:01:58.905 not to abuse their new power to censor the Net, 00:01:58.905 --> 00:02:01.054 what about the countries that follow in our path 00:02:01.054 --> 00:02:02.664 and pass similar laws? 00:02:02.664 --> 00:02:04.470 People around the world will have very different 00:02:04.470 --> 00:02:07.122 Internets, and unscrupulous governments will have 00:02:07.122 --> 00:02:09.463 powerful tools to hinder free expression. 00:02:09.463 --> 00:02:12.865 But perhaps most dangerously, PROTECT IP will 00:02:12.865 --> 00:02:15.477 meddle with the inner workings of the Net. 00:02:15.477 --> 00:02:18.085 Experts believe by fiddling with the web's registry 00:02:18.085 --> 00:02:20.724 of domain names, the result will be less security, 00:02:20.724 --> 00:02:22.225 and less stability. 00:02:22.225 --> 00:02:25.515 In short, PROTECT IP won't stop piracy, but it will 00:02:25.515 --> 00:02:28.515 introduce vast potential for censorship and abuse, 00:02:28.515 --> 00:02:31.696 while making the web less safe and less reliable. 00:02:31.696 --> 00:02:33.943 This is the Internet we're talking about! 00:02:33.943 --> 00:02:36.281 It's a vital and vibrant medium. 00:02:36.281 --> 00:02:38.075 And our government is tampering with its 00:02:38.075 --> 00:02:41.462 basic structure, so people will maybe buy more 00:02:41.462 --> 00:02:43.163 Hollywood movies. 00:02:43.163 --> 00:02:45.957 But Hollywood movies don't get grassroots candidates 00:02:45.957 --> 00:02:48.623 elected. They don't overthrow corrupt regimes, 00:02:48.623 --> 00:02:51.363 and the entire entertainment industry doesn't even 00:02:51.363 --> 00:02:53.523 contribute that much to our economy. 00:02:53.523 --> 00:02:56.551 The Internet does all these, and more. 00:02:56.551 --> 00:03:00.347 Corporations already have tools to fight piracy. 00:03:00.347 --> 00:03:02.766 They have the power to take down specific content, 00:03:02.766 --> 00:03:05.894 to sue peer-to-peer software companies out of existence, 00:03:05.894 --> 00:03:08.885 and to sue journalists just for talking about how to 00:03:08.885 --> 00:03:10.397 copy a DVD. 00:03:10.397 --> 00:03:12.901 They have a history of stretching and abusing 00:03:12.901 --> 00:03:15.343 their powers. They tried to take a baby video 00:03:15.343 --> 00:03:17.489 off YouTube, just for the music playing in 00:03:17.489 --> 00:03:19.825 the background. They've used legal penalties 00:03:19.825 --> 00:03:22.269 written for large-scale commercial piracy 00:03:22.269 --> 00:03:24.663 to go after families and children. 00:03:24.663 --> 00:03:27.124 They even sued to ban the VCR and the first 00:03:27.124 --> 00:03:28.747 MP3 players. 00:03:28.747 --> 00:03:33.090 So the question is, "How far will they take all this?" 00:03:33.090 --> 00:03:35.924 The answer at this point, is obvious. 00:03:35.924 --> 00:03:38.712 As far as we'll let them.