Google, Craigslist and the self-proclaimed "free encyclopedia" Wikipedia, all "blacking-out" to protest anti-piracy legislation currently in both the house and senate.
"Access to information might be severally limited and that is of a concern to all of us as it should be," TTU Professor Ann Rodriguez said.
The sites are protesting anti-piracy bills. Big media companies like Time Warner support the bills because they are meant to protect an individual's property by, in short, restricting web sites that contain pirated content.
But that could force search engines to remove numerous sites that display advertisements with them.
Among other issues, the sites said they would be forced to police the internet, imposing severe censorship, and they said therefore infringing on free expression.
"When that freedom of information infringes on these intellectual property rights then we are at a crossroads and the law has to find some way of handling it," she said.
Rodriquez said the law technically supports both sides because the law has not fully adjusted to fit the ever-evolving internet and because of this, the bills have become a major discussion.
"Whether they (the public) know a lot about the issue or not it is at least something they are talking about and interested in," she said.
"Access to information might be severally limited and that is of a concern to all of us as it should be," TTU Professor Ann Rodriguez said.
The sites are protesting anti-piracy bills. Big media companies like Time Warner support the bills because they are meant to protect an individual's property by, in short, restricting web sites that contain pirated content.
But that could force search engines to remove numerous sites that display advertisements with them.
Among other issues, the sites said they would be forced to police the internet, imposing severe censorship, and they said therefore infringing on free expression.
"When that freedom of information infringes on these intellectual property rights then we are at a crossroads and the law has to find some way of handling it," she said.
Rodriquez said the law technically supports both sides because the law has not fully adjusted to fit the ever-evolving internet and because of this, the bills have become a major discussion.
"Whether they (the public) know a lot about the issue or not it is at least something they are talking about and interested in," she said.
