Introduction
SOPA or stop online piracy act is a proposed bill which targets to eliminate the infringement of copyright. This is by blocking access to any site that is facilitated or host pirated content. Stop online piracy act was formed to target any oversea site such as torrent hub, which is widely known for providing unlicensed product. The creators of web content have had an endless war with the web content piracy for an unusually long time. The fact that these websites are located overseas makes it difficult to, totally, stop it. The intention of SOPA was to ensure that the search engines, promotion networks and other online content providers to sieve the content that users can access.
The whole idea is achieved when different companies such as search engine owners and companies which process payment join hands. Protection of content is worthy according to both sites, but the fear is that SOPA is drafted with the intention of censoring and causing implications which are unintended.
The bill was introduced before the House of Representatives in October 2012, but it was until May when it was approved. The argument that was brought forward was that SOPA was to improve the fight against piracy. This was by stopping the U.S. web content providers from supporting the services provided by the pirates. It also intended to make it cumbersome for users, in the United States, to access the contents of the pirated content providers.
Summary of the main article
The writer of this article, by all means, criticized SOPA. To the author, the act was totally meant to paralyze the freedom of using the internet to send messages across the globe in the name of stopping piracy. He termed the whole idea as a grotesque waste and betrayal of the user’s value. He further argued that the act will negatively affect the use of internet without stopping online piracy. To him, SOPA is one of the failed efforts to curb online piracy, which will cause disastrous effects on the internet. The key reason for this is that the act will discourage advertisers, block web sites and censor search engines without adhering to any legal process. The most outstanding irony, in this part, is the fact that the users’ safeguard will be compromised since the law will discourage internet marketing by discoursing investors. I fully support the author’s argument.
In regards to freedom of speech, the author argues that the SOPA will be based on one side, and its standards will be compromised. He argues that the laws will extend to other online services. These include discussion forums that contained pirated files and services which offer cloud storage. According to technology experts, the whole idea of introducing the SOPA laws is not necessary as it will bring detrimental effects on angel investors and venture capitalists which are a basis of technology startups. They claimed that the implication of the laws on the users will give room for competitors to outshine the United States in terms of creativity and innovation. The proponent of the law should have considered the risk that the law brings to the business community
The most outstanding irony according to the author is how the users will be left vulnerable because of this legislation. According to network engineers, the application of these laws involves the configuration on the domain name server to block the internet. This action will tamper with the initial configuration of the open architecture of the internet, hence negatively affecting the DNSSEC deployment. DNSSEC is a well-designed security measure for safeguarding the network traffic from malware hacking. The statement by Steward Baker, retired secretary assistant in the department of homeland security that the SOPA laws will paralyze DNSSEC, expose users to more security threats shows how different agencies are against the SOPA laws. This is echoed by the Sandia National Laboratory experts, who said that the laws will not only be ineffective but also have negative implication on global and U.S cyber security and to the functioning of the internet.
Given that the internet was started in the United States, it is ironic for them to pass laws which will negatively impact on the freedom of the internet. Moreover, they have been in the front line in advocating for a unified and open worldwide network, which is only limited by the government legislation on what pages that users can view.
Analysis of the article
In regards to pathos, the writer tried as such as possible to use a simple language that can be understood by even people who do not have a lot of knowledge in cyber security. The author also brought about several comparisons, which can make the reader be convinced that the writer knows what he is talking about. For instance, the argument on the position of the network engineers on the SOPA issues. According to network engineers, the application of these laws involves the configuration on the domain name server to block the internet (Goldsmith and Wu 56). This action will tamper with the initial configuration of the open architecture of the internet, hence negatively affecting the DNSSEC deployment. DNSSEC is a well-designed security measure for safeguarding the network traffic from malware hacking. The statement by Steward Baker, retired secretary assistant in the department of homeland security that the SOPA laws will paralyze DNSSEC, expose users to more security threats shows how different agencies are against the SOPA laws (Keen 34). This is supported by the Sandia National Laboratory experts, who said that the laws will not only be ineffective but also have negative implication on global and U.S cyber security and t the functioning of the internet. From this, it is evident that the author’s argument agrees with those of other individuals who are specialist in the field.
However, the author did not bring out the idea of logos well. I say this because in the entire article, there is not even a single instance where the author gave some numerical facts to justify a point. The writer would have provided some numerical proves to some aspect to enhance his point. Or instance, the author would have given fact and figures which would justify the fact that the introduction of SOPA and related laws such as PROTECT IP was not necessary has there are other laws and regulation that can stop online piracy without compromising the freedom of sending global messages over the internet (Eriksson and Giacomello 76).
Conclusion
Online piracy is indisputably an issue that has been affecting the music and film industry for quite a long time. However, the introduction of Stop Online Piracy Act was not necessary. The implication of this law on the internet usage and freedom will definitely compromise the use of the internet. The author’s argument on the topic was pretty good because he is an expert on cyber security and most of the evidence that he gave concur with the arguments of other expert in the field such as the network engineer. The presentation of ethos and pathos in the article was effective. However, the author didn’t deal effectively on the logos since he left out numeric facts and figure to support his arguments. For instance, the author would have provided some figures on how SOPA laws will affect the DNSSEC. The statement by Steward Baker, retired secretary assistant in the department of homeland security that the SOPA laws will paralyze DNSSEC, expose users to more security threats shows how different agencies are against the SOPA laws (Keen 44).
I suggest that this other way of ensuring that this law is effective should be designed. The researchers should find ways of stopping online piracy without affecting or compromising the freedom of internet and its use. The whole idea is achieved when different companies such as search engine owners and companies which process payment join hands. Protection of content is worthy according to both sites, but the fear is that SOPA is drafted with the intention of censoring and causing implications which are unintended.
Work Cited
“Charles Fairchild Pop Idols and Pirates”: Mechanisms of Consumption and the Global Circulation of Popular Music. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2008.
Andrew Keen The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet Is Killing Our Culture. New York: Doubleday, 2007.
Emmanuel Goldstein “The Best of 2600:” A Hacker Odyssey. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley, 2008.
Jack Goldsmith and Tim Wu “ Controls the Internet?:” Illusions of a Borderless World. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
Johan Eriksson and Giampiero Giacomello. International Relations and Security in the Digital Age. New York: Routledge, 2007.
Joseph Harrison. Identity Theft. Baltimore, MD: Waywiser Press, 2008.
K. Jaishankar, ed. Cyber Criminology: Exploring Internet Crimes and Criminal Behavior. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2011.
Seymour E. Goodman and Herbert S. Lin, eds. Toward a Safer and More Secure Cyberspace. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2007.
