RI plays down controversial SOPA

Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring says the much-criticized Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) being debated in the United States will not harm internet communities in Indonesia.

“I think defending copyright is good. We also need to protect our interests: our software, music, and so on,” Tifatul said at the presidential office on Wednesday.

The SOPA, which was introduced in the US Congress in last October, is intended to curb copyright infringements but has been widely criticized because critics say the act could limit the scope of web activities and adversely affect legitimate websites.

“The US has been concerned about this issue because President Barrack Obama himself said in his speech that cyber-crime was part of a national security threat. Thus, they concentrate on online piracy, protecting intellectual rights and so on,” Tifatul said.

Under the act, copyright holders will be given greater powers to go after “rogue” websites suspected of facilitating infringements. For example, a court could order credit card issuers and online payment firms to stop doing businesses with those websites.

Many internet experts, however, are afraid the bill would create “collateral damage” and harm legitimate sites not only in the US but also in other parts of the world, including Indonesia.

Numerous prominent websites, including the English-language version of Wikipedia, went offline on Wednesday in protest. (nvn)