22 Jan, 2012
After drowning close to $200,000 USD in support of the controversial SOPA bill, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) finally came to its senses and withdrew its support. Well, its membership did at any rate.
As of right now, both SOPA and PIPA have been temporarily suspended for revision, but there’s no doubt that they’ll be back by the end of February to face a vote by Congress. In a public statement released earlier Friday, the ESA stated that while the need to address piracy is a matter of urgency, the concerns around “unintended consequences” need to be taken into consideration as well.
“From the beginning, ESA has been committed to the passage of balanced legislation to address the illegal theft of intellectual property found on foreign rogue sites,” wrote ESA in a public statement. “Although the need to address this pervasive threat to our industry’s creative investment remains, concerns have been expressed about unintended consequences stemming from the current legislative proposals.
“Accordingly, we call upon Congress, the Obama Administration, and stakeholders to refocus their energies on producing a solution that effectively balances both creative technology interests. As an industry of innovators and creators, we understand the importance of both technological innovation and content protection and are committed to working with all parties to encourage a balanced solution.”
In response to the ESA’s handling of the situation and to form an alternate group with a focus on positive gaming imagery and general gaming on, Red 5 Studios Director Mark Kern founded the League for Gamers. For more about the organization and their mission, visit LFG.org.
Want to help fight SOPA and PIPA? Start your journey here, and don’t forget to drop by American Censorship.org to tell your representative exactly how you feel about it.
Via Joystiq.
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