Topic: Pipa

The hosts critique the funding of political blogs and the lifestyle of their journalists. They play a clip of Politico writer Eliza Krigman discussing new leadership on the Energy and Commerce Committee. Krigman notes that the "ghost of the SOPA-PIPA revolt" continues to make Congress wary of enacting new technology laws.

The hosts discuss the failure of SOPA and PIPA legislation following a massive internet-based protest. They play a clip of the Utah Attorney General complaining about the "lies" that killed the bills. Curry argues the traditional music industry is dead and critiques modern pop stars like P. Diddy and Rihanna for using "Illuminati" and "Monarch" symbolism to program children.

The legal troubles of MegaUpload and the withdrawal of attorney Robert Bennett are discussed. The hosts argue that the focus on SOPA and PIPA was a distraction from the "OPEN Act" and technical changes to the DNS system (DNSSEC). They suggest that the true power to censor the internet lies in the technical infrastructure managed by ICANN rather than legislative bills.

Former Senator and current MPAA head Chris Dodd is criticized for publicly threatening politicians who withdrew support for SOPA/PIPA. Dodd's comments are interpreted as an open admission of the "bribe-and-pay" nature of Hollywood campaign contributions. The hosts argue that the Megaupload bust was timed to provide a real-world justification for the anti-piracy legislation.

Anish Chopra, the White House Chief Technology Officer, avoids answering whether President Obama would veto the SOPA or PIPA legislation. In an interview on Bloomberg West, Chopra emphasizes the administration's goal of reducing piracy through voluntary industry standards rather than committing to a specific legislative veto. The hosts characterize the response as a political filibuster.

An examination of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), and Representative Darrell Issa's Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade (OPEN) Act. While SOPA and PIPA are criticized for their punitive measures regarding the Domain Name System (DNS), the OPEN Act is viewed as a more traditional approach to copyright disputes. The analysis suggests that the OPEN Act requires a bond for those filing complaints to prevent frivolous litigation.

Adam Curry presents his research on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). He argues that PIPA is 75% identical to SOPA and that both bills focus on punitive measures—such as DNS blocking and cutting off payment systems—rather than creating new laws. He references the 1946 Lanham Act to explain how these bills leverage existing trademark and copyright law.