However, the impact was felt all across the internet yesterday. Google blacked out their logo, Wikipedia blacked out their entire page, and more. The impact was enough that the MPAA even made a statement about the blackout calling it irresponsible (umm… ok…)

“It is an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on them for information use their services. It is also an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today. It’s a dangerous and troubling development when the platforms that serve as gateways to information intentionally skew the facts to incite their users in order to further their corporate interests.
A so-called “blackout” is yet another gimmick, albeit a dangerous one, designed to punish elected and administration officials who are working diligently to protect American jobs from foreign criminals. It is our hope that the White House and the Congress will call on those who intend to stage this “blackout” to stop the hyperbole and PR stunts and engage in meaningful efforts to combat piracy.”

Now there are several key comments in this statement that indicate the threat online movments like the blackout are to the MPAA and RIAA. They also show just how out of touch these people really are. The two most important ones are;

“. It is also an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today. It’s a dangerous and troubling development when the platforms that serve as gateways to information intentionally skew the facts to incite their users in order to further their corporate interests”

Considering SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act) are nothing more than proposed laws to extend the power of these two entertainment cartels it is something like the pot calling the kettle black here.

Meanwhile the White House (meaning President Obama) stated that they would Veto both SOPA and PIPA if Congress tried to pass them in their “current state”. Microsoft used similar verbiage to finally show their opposition (something that we showed a while ago when the BSA withdrew their support). It was a good day for anyone in opposition to SOPA and PIPA.

Now we might be out of the woods with the current drafts of SOPA and PIPA, but we are not high and dry, in fact we could not even say we are high and vigorously toweling ourselves off. The big media companies desperately want to hold onto their business methods and will continue to work to adjust the laws to make it easier for them. It is important to remind congress and the Whitehouse who they actually work for.

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