The New (Old) War on Copyright Infringement,and How Context is Opening New Regulatory Possibilities

Abstract

The internet blackout in January 2012 saw thousands of websites ‘go dark’ to protest proposed US laws designed to implement a ‘multi-system denial of service attack’ against alleged IP-infringing websites by making them both unfindable, and by cutting off any financial support. Within days, the laws – known as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) – effectively were dead. But when and how did such laws even reach the stage of serious discussion? This examines what has changed, and looks at how and why regulating internet intermediaries and making them the internet ‘police’ has gradually become more acceptable to governments.

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