Open Letter to Janice Hahn Concerning SOPA

Here's the letter I sent. Congresswoman Hahn's letter is included below.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. However, I think you're completely missing the impact that SOPA would have by encouraging corporate censorship of speech and massively regulating the internet. In particular, this sentence shows a fundamental misunderstanding of whom SOPA is intended to help.

"To ensure the growth of technological innovation in the United States, it is essential that we protect the rights of artist and innovators from the online thieves who prosper by stealing their work."

First of all, lets be clear that copyright infringement is an offense distinct from theft. Adopting the loaded language of the entertainment industry serves only to poison the discussion about effective ways to reduce copyright infringement and ensure that content is legally & easily available to willing consumers. Second, I am quite aware that the leading companies in Silicon Valley-- Facebook, Yahoo, Google, Twitter & others-- have come out strongly against SOPA. Even the Business Software Alliance has realized that SOPA is counter to their best interests. Its quite clear that the true innovators are strongly against SOPA, and to suggest otherwise to informed citizens is inexplicable. Nor is it really in the best interests of artists, who are succeeding by adopting new business models to take advantage of the amazing new possibilities created by internet technologies. Rather, this bill has been carefully crafted by employees of the MPAA & RIAA in conjunction with lobbyists paying millions of dollars to congressional campaigns.

Finally, I'll close by pointing out that one man's rogue website is another person's freedom fighting tool. If the RIAA & MPAA had the power of SOPA in the 70s, 80s and 90s, we never would have had the VCR (in the famous Betamax case, the movie studios sued Sony), the iPod (the makers of the original MP3 players were sued by record labels) or YouTube (still being sued by Paramount).  Yet these tools are ubiquitous today and these technologies have led to revolutions & new ways of communicating. Facebook was instrumental in the Arab Spring. Yet under rules like SOPA, a repressive or even well meaning regime could end up blocking Facebook in their entire country due to copyright violations committed by a small minority of their users. That's the world that SOPA would perversely enable. Dismantling safe harbors would gut the next generation of social networking tools.

I urge you to reconsider your evident support of SOPA and urge the wholesale rejection of this proposed law. Bills should be openly developed by congress and their staff based on citizen input. This bill was written by the media conglomerates along with the MPAA & RIAA and represents democracy at its very worst. Stand up for democracy, stand up for your citizens and do not allow the internet to be massively regulated at the urging of industries that have been unwilling to adapt to the new technologies that have connected our world so well the past several decades.

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Dr. Rome,

Thank you for contacting me to express your views. I am honored to represent you, and I appreciate your active participation in the legislative process. Your involvement makes democracy work better by helping me more effectively represent you and California’s 36th District.

To ensure the growth of technological innovation in the United States, it is essential that we protect the rights of artist and innovators from the online thieves who prosper by stealing their work. I support efforts to combat piracy in order safeguard intellectual property and those who produce it. At the same time, however, we must also be critical of the methods used against rogue websites so that they not be abused or used as part of a “one size fits all” approach. Rest assured that I will be sure to keep your views in mind as Congress considers this and other similar legislation. 

I hope you will keep in touch with me on this or any other issue you feel important. To stay informed of my work or to sign up for my electronic newsletter, please visit my website at http://Hahn.House.gov. Or, you can always call my office in Wilmington at (310) 549-8282 or my office in Washington, D.C. toll-free at (855) 328-7332.
free at (855) 328-7332.

The internet is a wonderful tool that has improved and enriched lives around the world.  That's why I support efforts to expand internet access across the country.  Rest assured that I will work with my colleagues to achieve this goal. 

Sincerely yours,

Janice Hahn
Member of Congress

JH/zs