The Internet Association Statement on SOPA/PIPA Internet Blackout Anniversary

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, The Internet Association issued the following statement regarding the one-year anniversary of the SOPA and PIPA Internet blackout, the day the American people blocked Congress from advancing the SOPA and PIPA bills. Had these bills become law, it would have been devastating to the Internet users and the Internet economy.

“Today marks the one year anniversary of the online community’s grassroots movement that blocked a Congressional attempt to censor the Internet. SOPA and PIPA’s defeat demonstrated the Internet’s ability to give every user and every constituent a voice in the political process. The Internet is a revolutionary tool for innovation, job-creation, and democratic discourse. Censoring or regulating the Internet would have a devastating impact on countless families, small businesses, and entrepreneurs worldwide. The Internet Association looks forward to working with policy makers, innovators, and all Internet users to ensure that future proposals affecting the Internet do not harm the Internet’s central role in our lives.”