Wednesday's SOPA Blackout Day appears to have had its intended effect — a flood of attention was focused on the issue all week, and the Senate's website had trouble handling the influx of traffic from concerned citizens. A number of politicians have started withdrawing support for SOPA and PIPA, and the bills are now even being criticized by politicians from abroad. Neelie Kroes, VP of the European Commission, tweeted today that she was "glad [the] tide is turning on #SOPA; don't need bad legislation when should be safeguarding benefits of open net."
It's a strong and unambiguous position for a foreign politician to take regarding US policy, but Kroes helps manage the "Digital Agenda" for the EC and has worked to combat piracy without restricting a free internet. In a second tweet, Kroes said that "Speeding is illegal too: but you don't put speedbumps on the motorway." While it's hard to say how much influence foreign objections can have on these bills, it's worth noting that SOPA outrage is catching the attention of political leaders beyond our borders.
Image credit: Neelie Kroes (Flickr)
Glad tide is turning on #SOPA: don't need bad legislation when should be safeguarding benefits of open net.
— Neelie Kroes (@NeelieKroesEU) January 20, 2012
Speeding is illegal too: but you don't put speed bumps on the motorway #SOPA
— Neelie Kroes (@NeelieKroesEU) January 20, 2012
There are 30 Comments. Add yours.
I hope SOPA or something better passes.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:02 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
No, but we don’t allow people to speed freely, either, which is what we are allowing on the Internet right now with regards to piracy.
Also, Europeans don’t care about piracy that much, because they don’t make as much IP as the US.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:31 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Exactly right! Every single European is a completely dull citizen and they used up all their ideas in all those wars they had like 100 years ago or something.
In all seriousness, there is the DMCA which polices this type of action. Every country that isn’t corrupt actually cracks down on this type of thing within their country’s boarders. It’s the really shady Russian servers that host everything known to mankind that are the problem. Seeing that foreign national cooperation is the real problem, among other things, don’t you think the US would want to strengthen its ties with foreign nations rather than making a law which polices foreign nations for themselves?
Or you could continue to collect your paycheck from the RIAA/ MPAA.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:40 AM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Woah, careful there.. if there’s another continent who produces quite a lot IP it’s Europe. I’m not only talking about music and movies (US is king there of course), I’m also thinking about industrial patent and copyright infringement. So, many countries in Europe do in fact have a lot of interest in stopping those crimes.
Just not at any cost because some companies fail on new business models and are now throwing millions of dollars into lobbying.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:40 AM EST reply Recommend (8) Flag actions
That seems like a wild claim, considering you have presented no evidence (even anecdotal) about it. In Ireland, where I live, we have a much tougher stance on piracy compared to the US – some of the ISPs have three strikes rules with regard to music piracy, Eircom (the national telephony company) have blocked Pirate Bay from being accessed and in the UK the majority of ISPs engage in traffic shaping to make piracy unpleasant for the majority of users.
Globally, people are NOT allowed to pirate freely. I suggest you look up news about Megaupload, Napster, Audiogalaxy, etc etc.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:40 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
What if The Verge censored your post, because they oppose SOPA?
Would you complain? Because that would be quite hypocritical.
In fact, enjoy your right to comment on blog posts while it lasts, because once SOPA passes, blogs won’t be able to allow comments anymore, since one person posting a copyright-infringing comment could result in the takedown of the whole blog.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 10:42 AM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
If anyone has most to gain fighting piracy it’s Europe. In your limited world, you might think that Europe produces little, but that’s just observation of your world.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 7:03 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
dude you definitely look like a troll appointed by MPAA or RIAA.
GTFO here.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 4:59 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I don’t support SOPA, however personally I think she be more focused on the European debt crises rather than sticking her nose in our business.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:07 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
“our business” you say? Do you live in 1942? SOPA and it’s eventual fate is absolutely global problem and I would have thought that the years since 2008 have taught most of the internet-enabled world that what happens in one country doesn’t just affect one country anymore.
Even setting aside the domino effect, the majority of SOPA/PIPA is taken up with laws specifically against FOREIGN websites. I don’t know why you wouldn’t think this would be of concern to the EC/EU, or the people who work for it.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:13 AM EST reply Recommend (21) Flag actions
Exactly this. It might be a US law, but this law will especially affect foreign websites. Now, one main point in criticism is also that American companies like the MPAA might easily abuse their new power to get rid of unwanted foreign competition, and there will be nothing those foreign companies, especially small ones without financial power, can do about it. That’s actually quite frightening. Of course, it will affect American companies as well, there’s a reason why Google, Wikipedia etc. are against it.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:33 AM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
“American companies like the MPAA might easily abuse their new power to get rid of unwanted foreign competition”
That’s the primary goal of the bills… you’d have to be naive to think they’re about fighting piracy. Fighting piracy is just their justification, but in reality, it’s all about fighting any kind of competition.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 10:34 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Oh sure, not like the US would ever stick it’s nose in anyone else’s business, despite a fine multitude of issues back home that need attention.
Aside from that, her role in Europe has nothing to do with managing the debt problems. In fact her current role is “European Commissioner for Digital Agenda”, so she is perfectly placed to comment.
Get a clue before you comment huh?
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:17 AM EST reply Recommend (21) Flag actions
I do belive that it was the US government that has been engaged in nothing short of bullying to get EU countires to sign up to highly restrictive and growth damaging copyright policies. As others have said, the internet is global and so others have every right to stick their noses in. Espcally if it could undermine economic growth and make the debt issue worse.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 10:12 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
she is the vp of the european commission of digital agenda.. this falls exactly in her field of expertise.. the US is in a financial trouble as well.. should every single politician focus on that now and leave everything else to self-govern?
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 2:45 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Have you read her title? It’s her job to be concerned when EU digital life can be adversely affected.
Mind you, you should just keep quiet for all the meddling in Spanish internal affairs to get that law passed.
“our business” American hypocrisy at it’s best!
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 7:07 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The article picture has some weird, almost-3D effect to it. I can’t stop staring at it.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:11 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
it’s her shadow, dude.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:17 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
1) speeding analogy is clevar
2) woman is a dead ringer for vanessa redgrave circa 1996.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:18 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
The more attention SOPA gets the more politicians will start to work out a better solution to the problem of piracy. That has to be a good thing right?
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:29 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Yes, of course. And, no matter what laws and/or technology ultimately curb piracy, the Internet will be more restricted than it is now. The Wild West is about to get tamed.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:34 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Alas true…. The few spoil it for the many….
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:44 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Neelie is right. Listen to her.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:36 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Keep that mouth-breathing anti-European frothy bile coming, you True Americans. Of which 5o million or so have no Health insurance and tens of millions more are kept from using the coverage they have by the actions of the insurance industry. Banana republic!
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 9:50 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
The posts I saw weren’t exactly wise, but they were not really insulting. Yours is… (says a European), also it’s not in relation to the topic in any way.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 10:12 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
she’s saying she is against SOPA, meanwhile supporting ACTA which has very similar consequences to SOPA… and also why you Americans are trying to push your stupid laws across the world? (ACTA is trade agreement created with USA cooperation putting responsibility for IP infringements on (among others) internet providers.)
http://www.stopacta.info/
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 10:25 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
That’s what I was thinking reading this. Given the cooperation of EU member nations in Mega-gate I’m skeptical of whether she’s being genuine..
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 8:48 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
Is anyone still serious that this law will be passed? I mean, in additions to Kroes and every big tech company and seemingly all internet users, Obama openly opposed the bill. All before voting took place. SOPA’s backlash is more revealing than SOPA itself.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 10:44 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
*addition
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 10:45 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Ms. Kroes is cool. She understands tech. We should be so lucky to have her equivalent here in the States.
Posted on Jan 20, 2012 | 5:11 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
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