The controversial SOPA and PIPA bills are dead – at least in name.
The ‘death’ of PIPA (Protect IP Act) (at least in its current form) was announced in a statement by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Tex).
“I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy,” Lamar said in his statement. ”It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products.”
PIPA’s partner in crime, SOPA, was delayed earlier this week by House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Cali) who has called for ‘greater consensus’ on the reach of the bill before any hearing should be considered.
Dead ? Dead
But is this really the end for both bills?
Probably not. Just like the plots to many of the films release by the entertainment groups behind the bills, the dead have knack for rising; the luddite industries and their lobby groups are unlikely to give up on reigning in the internet quite as easily as this.
