The BSA Rejects the Current Stop Online Piracy Act

In a blog post, BSA president and CEO Robert Holleyman wrote that SOPA "needs work" as the current proposal does not "balance key innovation, privacy and security considerations with the need to thwart the threat rogue websites pose." At this time BSA does not support SOPA, he wrote.

According to Holleyman, SOPA "could sweep in more than just truly egregious actors." He noted that the bill needs "definitions of who can be the subject of legal actions" as well as "narrow" and "tighter" descriptions of possible remedies. ... Due process, free speech, and privacy are rights that cannot be compromised. And the security of networks and communications is indispensable to a thriving Internet economy." He also objected any activities such as "filtering or monitoring the Internet".

Holleyman stressed that he believes the bill's "basic goals should be to promote creativity," while it also needs to deter "bad actors that profit from selling copies of software and other works they do not own."

  • rohitbaran
    I hope the bill doesn't get passed in its current form. I want internet to be free.
    Reply
  • rajohns08
    now the gov't is trying to over-regulate and kill the technology sector? are they ever gonna learn all they do is slow down innovation?
    Reply
  • rajohns08
    when the BSA says no...you know you're doing something wrong
    Reply
  • JOSHSKORN
    Software pirating will NEVER be full-proof. Period. They just need to stop trying.

    Unless we all go to a cloud, then maybe it'll happen. But we're years ahead of that. For God Sakes, some people still have DIAL-UP!!!
    Reply
  • LuckyDucky7
    "bad actors that profit from selling copies of software and other works they do not own."

    (Emphasis added.)

    Cool.

    So how about we put the next logical step into law- prosecuting these guys and not Joe Average Guy (or grandma) for downloading 5 songs?

    That way, we can avoid stupid lawsuits which jam up the courts, and take down the automatic settlement websites.

    But if Congress is still trying to get this passed, well, there's probably no hope for that for a while.
    Reply
  • 11796pcs
    rajohns08now the gov't is trying to over-regulate and kill the technology sector? are they ever gonna learn all they do is slow down innovation?Would you call people who pirate software innovators in the technology sector? Um... let's hope not. Businesses who innovate in the technology sector don't pirate software, teenagers in their parent's basements pirate software. And that's ok for commercial software (I'm thinking Adobe), the problem lies with pirating video games- which really hurts the industry.
    Reply
  • lashabane
    I must say, this Rober Holleyman guy doesn't sound like a complete douche.

    I wish people like him were running the RIAA and MPAA.
    Reply
  • ct001
    11796pcsWould you call people who pirate software innovators in the technology sector? Um... let's hope not. Businesses who innovate in the technology sector don't pirate software, teenagers in their parent's basements pirate software. And that's ok for commercial software (I'm thinking Adobe), the problem lies with pirating video games- which really hurts the industry.
    Businesses, in particular the larger one, pirate all the time. The difference is when they get caught they pay a small fine/some licensing fees, the lawyers argue it out in court, and its all swept under the rug. On top of that the media/software industries are not losing money due to pirating (look at any unbiased report, not the usual BS bought and paid for and parroted by the politicians), rather its a scapegoat used to justify putting through draconian laws.
    Reply
  • rpgplayer
    @11796 Not going to argue on enterprise or business software, but you'll find in games that critics and review sites do just as much to kill the industry as what software pirates do. With equal advertising you notice that a game that is rated higher will sell a lot more copies than a game that is rated poorly. If the gaming industry wants to do well they need to quit putting out crappy games.
    Reply
  • cumi2k4
    9329173 said:
    Would you call people who pirate software innovators in the technology sector? Um... let's hope not. Businesses who innovate in the technology sector don't pirate software, teenagers in their parent's basements pirate software. And that's ok for commercial software (I'm thinking Adobe), the problem lies with pirating video games- which really hurts the industry.

    Pic or it didn't happen... does piracy and sales are mutually exclusive?

    For commercial software, you're spot on...how many teenage can afford those commercial softwares?
    Reply