Changes

'''Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)''' or '''H.R. 3261''' is a bipartisan bill introduced at the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee by Congressman '''[[Lamar Smith]]''' (R-Texas) and co-sponsored by 31 other Representatives including '''John Conyers''' (D-Mich.), '''Bob Goodlatte''' (R-Va.) and '''Howard Berman''' (D-Calif.) on June 26, 2011.The bill aims to protect the intellectual property rights of U.S. businesses particularly in the film, music and software industry against online piracy and counterfeiting.<ref>

'''Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)''' or '''H.R. 3261''' is a bipartisan bill introduced at the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee by Congressman '''[[Lamar Smith]]''' (R-Texas) and co-sponsored by 31 other Representatives including '''John Conyers''' (D-Mich.), '''Bob Goodlatte''' (R-Va.) and '''Howard Berman''' (D-Calif.) on June 26, 2011.The bill aims to protect the intellectual property rights of U.S. businesses particularly in the film, music and software industry against online piracy and counterfeiting.<ref>

[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/Dd112:23:./temp/~bdOZ3u::|/home/LegislativeData.php?n=BSS;c=112| Bill Summary & Status  

[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/Dd112:23:./temp/~bdOZ3u::|/home/LegislativeData.php?n=BSS;c=112| Bill Summary & Status 112th Congress H.R.3261]</ref> <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/house-introduces-internet-piracy-bill/2011/10/26/gIQA0f5xJM_blog.html House introduces Internet piracy bill]</ref>

112th Congress (2011 - 2012) H.R.3261]</ref> <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/house-introduces-internet-piracy-bill/2011/10/26/gIQA0f5xJM_blog.html House introduces Internet piracy bill]</ref>

Under the proposed bill, the Department of Justice through the Attorney General is authorized to ask for a court order against the owners, operators, domain name registrants of foreign websites to stop their operations if found conducting or facilitating online piracy including copyright infringement, unauthorized fixation and trafficking of sound recordings or videos of live musical performances, the recording of exhibited motion pictures, or trafficking in counterfeit labels, goods, or services. <ref>[http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/112%20HR%203261.pdf The Bill-H.R. 3261]</ref>  

Under the proposed bill, the Department of Justice through the Attorney General is authorized to ask for a court order against the owners, operators, domain name registrants of foreign websites to stop their operations if found conducting or facilitating online piracy including copyright infringement, unauthorized fixation and trafficking of sound recordings or videos of live musical performances, the recording of exhibited motion pictures, or trafficking in counterfeit labels, goods, or services. <ref>[http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/pdf/112%20HR%203261.pdf The Bill-H.R. 3261]</ref>