Tabletop Gaming News and Cool Mini or Not, both well-known in the tabletop gaming industry (both ran by the same group), have decided to protest the PIPA/SOPA that until recently had been gaining momentum before the Internet began widespread protests. Their protests join several websites including Google, Wikipedia, and more. At least one more game company, Steve Jackson Games, has decided to protest by blocking out their site as well.
Edit: On the Lamb Games blacked out their site today as well.
SOPA stands for Stop Online Privacy Act and PIPA stands for Protect IP Act, essentially give undue power to our government, to stop foreign websites with possible copyright infringement without undo process. However, the specifics of how this power works are making people mad. Websites can be sued to remove links, be forced to stop doing business like advertising on said sites, and more, without a formal chance of defense. The article SOPA and PIPA: Just the Facts, from PC World author Justin Newman, explains things much better than I.
I do think piracy is bad, but having a totalitarian view on how to deal with it, and giving powers to the government few are not what I support. Especially when it comes from the backing of Hollywood and the RIAA who should NOT be making the laws by giving large donations to their pocket congressmen and woman and representatives.
If you know of other gaming sites that have blacked out today, please let me know by posting below and capture a screenshot for me. I’d like to collect as many as I can>
