This Act is nothing more than an attempt of the music and entertainment industry strangle-holding the internet for their own profits. How is that a free economy when the one with the most Senators in their pockets wins?! You realize that if this Act was around when Facebook started, it would have been shut down before it would even hit a million users? YouTube would have come and gone in a matter of weeks. What about the YouTube stars such as Justin Bieber who rake in millions not only for the record companies but for the United States come every April 15th? He would be just another kid in the crowd instead of the kid causing the crowds.

The music and entertainment industry believed that music files and video files were going to bring down their industry. As a matter of fact, when they decided to embrace the technology, they began making more money. I can purchase every season of Seinfeld and every song of the Rolling Stones without leaving my room. That’s money they would have never seen from me if I had to go to 10 different stores to purchase all this. Right now I have a device connected to my TV that allows me to rent a movie for $5 and watch it instantly. The entertainment world originally didn’t want that. Now, without having to hop in my car for a 10 minute drive, I can pay them to watch a movie. They also save on overhead since they don’t have to create the DVDs, just save a file.

The decision you have to make is whether lining the pockets of already established companies is more important than allowing entrepreneurs the freedom to be innovative. As any company would do, they would quickly quell any small company from becoming a large competitor and competition is what makes this country one of the greatest in the world. If someone is doing something illegal, there are many laws on the books to stop them. If someone is doing something innovative, why would you hinder them? It could be the next best thing.

Sincerely,
Michael Glykis

P.S. By the way, my use of the copyrighted names, Seinfeld and Rolling Stones in this simple communication, possibly violates the rules of SOPA. How can that be fair?