Hi there foodies!

It’s been a while for me, with starting a new job, the holidays, and some stuff in between – I promise to bake soon!

But today’s post is about something much more important – joining the protest against the SOPA and PIPA acts that are in the House and Senate today.  I don’t want to write too much, but I feel the need to say something because of who I am and what this blog is about.

From my understanding, what these acts will do is allow companies to shut down any other websites they feel are infringing on their property, intellectual or otherwise.  Anything that can be seen as copyright infringement could be shut down/blocked right away by court order.  No trial needed.

For me and other food bloggers out there, I feel this could be a big impact – all it takes is one big name to put the kibosh on all the rest of us that use a recipe of someone else’s, that comment on said recipe, that have a follower comment on said recipe (oh that’s right – I didn’t mention that.  It doesn’t even have to be YOU who posts something, it can be just a comment on your space!).

While I agree with the general idea of providing protection for the Internet and its users, I also feel that there can be something done about piracy without DNS blocking (which is the same way China censors its Internet.  Interesting).  There can be a better bill written that doesn’t attack free speech online, that doesn’t offer up censorship to the extreme.

And for Senator Leahy, who believes that all opponents are obviously gaining from piracy in some way – I bake things.  I properly provide links to recipes I use.  I don’t steal intellectual property from other people.  Thus I’m not gaining from piracy, and I’m STILL against this.

If you agree with me – contact your elected officials and let them know.  I know I will.

You can sign petitions here and here.