Politics & Government

Where's Google? Websites Protest Internet Censorship Bills

A 24-hour blackout began last night as part of a protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA).

Type in Google.com.

Wait, what’s that big black rectangle?

Some of the most popular websites among Internet users began taking a 24-hour stand at midnight Eastern time Wednesday as a protest against two congressional bills, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA).

Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Google, Craigslist and Wikipedia’s English-language site are among the thousands of websites who are showing their opposition against the bills, which, if passed, would allow for companies to seek a court order to ban websites that sell pirated content and merchandise.

Click here to read more about SOPA and PIPA in a report by the Huffington Post.

Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Newark