Dear Editor:

Despite the Internet?s usefulness, society abuses their privileges by violating ethical codes of conduct. However government does not reserve the right to excessively regulate the web by censoring society?s freedoms.

The Stop Online Piracy Act was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Oct 26, 2011. This act aims to stop online piracy, which has become a widespread issue throughout the Internet.

Although its aim is not to violate our freedom of speech, but to prohibit online piracy, the two become mutual.

SOPA and PIPA will limit major search engines like Google and Bing from disclosing information that may potentially lead to pirate sites. With that, the government will try to combat online piracy, however those who sell pirated items will find a way to continue selling their products. Just like the drug dealers will always find a way to sell.

An alternative way to combat online piracy would be to target computers or individuals that have a history of online piracy, instead of restricting the Internet for everyone and individuals who have not trespassed U.S law.

For another letter on this issue, read LETTER: SOPA a stained chalk line or LETTER: Containment or Extirpation.

~Juan Ruelas, Lynn Kim, Katie Barisic, Abbey Cowan, Miriam DeWolf