Wikipedia goes black to protest against anti-piracy law

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia and other popular websites went dark on Wednesday as search engine Google blotted its logo as part of protests to stop Internet piracy legislation being considered by the US Congress.  

The worldwide blackout came with a warning from Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales who said, "Students, do your homework early!" The online encyclopedia, the tenth most popular website in the US, shut down most of its English-language services and replaced its familiar white and gray design with a black homepage featuring information about the legislation.

Wikipedia was joined by Google which placed a rectangular black strip over its logo, with a message to "tell Congress please don't censor the web".

On opening the Google homepage, one is greeted with the blacked out Google logo, with only a tiny portion of the blue lower bottom of the second 'g' visible.

On clicking on the black tape, one is taken to a Google page with the heading 'End Piracy, not liberty.'

"Fighting online piracy is important. The most effective way to shut down pirate websites is through targeted legislation that cuts off their funding. Theres no need to make American social networks, blogs and search engines censor the Internet or undermine the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of US jobs," reads Google's message.

The bills -- Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA), the legislationbacked by major American media companies -- would allow the Justice Department to seek a court order requiring US search.

Wikipedia is the largest Web entity to declare its intent to go dark, and joins many other websites that have already pledged to shut down for 12 to 24 hours to draw attention to legislation that they say will hasten the end of the free Internet.

The US Senate will begin voting on the bills on 24^th January.

Google announced yesterday that, while its search engine will continue to function, the company will place a link on its home page to highlight its opposition to the bills.

 

"For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history," Wikipedia said in a message posted on its darkened website.

"Right now, the US Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open Internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia."