The closing of the website in English started at midnight on Tuesday and will last one day…
The two bills, entitled "Stop Online Piracy Act" and "Protect IP Act", aim to curb pirated material posted online by blocking access to websites that offer stolen content and blacklisting companies. are accused of such acts, even if they merely provide links to sites that contain copyright.
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has criticized the two bills, saying they pose a threat to free speech in both the United States and abroad.
They are still, he added, "a frightening precedent for internet censorship around the world."
On its website, Wikipedia states that it has decided to protest the two bills by closing its English version for 24 hours. During this time, visitors will not be able to read the encyclopedia. Instead, they will see protest messages aimed at raising awareness against the two bills and encouraging people to exchange views on the issue with lawmakers and social media.
I explain that the two bills will not be effective in their goal and will create many problems for the free and open internet. They call for the unnecessary closure of entire websites. Small websites will not have enough resources to defend themselves. Foreign websites will be blacklisted, ie they will not appear in major search engines. The two bills build the framework for future restrictions and oppression. "
Nevertheless, he states that the English Wikipedia will be accessible via mobile phones and smart phones at the request of the public.
He also notes that "because the protest message is powered by JavaScript, it is possible to view Wikipedia by completely disabling JavaScript".
Meanwhile, in an open letter last month, the founders of Google, Twitter, Wikipedia, Yahoo! and other websites said the two US bills give the US government the power to censor the internet, using techniques similar to those prevailing in China, Malaysia and Iran.
But not all internet giants have decided to protest.
Twitter CEO Dick Costolo said that "closing a company in response to a national policy is foolish."
Both bills are backed by the US entertainment industry, which wants to end piracy and music. They are also supported by the National Association of Manufacturers and the US Chamber of Commerce.
However, the White House said in a blog post last week that it would not support "laws that restrict freedom of expression, increase the risk of cyber security, or undermine the dynamic, innovative global Internet."
Source: Everyday