Google, blacked out

Harsh criticisms of the Stop Online Piracy Act by Internet companies and organizations turned to a form of direct action today, with high-profile Web sites blacking out portions of--or, in the case of Wikipedia--entire pages. The goal is to underline the message from those companies that SOPA poses a very real threat of Web censorship. (For more details on the pending legislation, see "How SOPA would affect you: FAQ.")

Google's home page, for instance, this morning features a big, black block over the colorful "Google" logo that dominates the page, and a stark message under the search window urges: "Tell Congress: Please don't censor the web!" Both the blacked-out logo and the "Tell Congress" line linked out to a page entitled "End Piracy, Not Liberty" with an option for users to sign a petition to Congress.

January 18, 2012 7:43 AM PST

Photo by: Screenshot by Jonathan Skillings/CNET

| Caption by: Jonathan E. Skillings

[solitare_pax]

The Mozilla Firefox Page fades to black as well -

And many online comics, including Sluggy Freelance and Sheldon . com are also taking part in the protests.

[goblynn1013]

CakeWrecks and Regretsy have both customized their pages in protest (CakeWrecks automatically supplying visitors with Congressional contact details for their area; Regretsy aiming for an example of what a site could look like after a SOPA/PIPA takedown--tongue firmly in cheek, of course, while doing it).

[dycero]

wordpress.org is also blacked out, and offering a link to get plugins so your wordpress site can be blacked out

[andrewcon40]

Great job taking a stand CNET. Oh wait, you are owned by CBS.

[MegaProcrastination]

In my opinion, although CBS supports SOPA, they have more credibility than most of the big media outlets out there as in they are actually allowing coverage of SOPA/PIPA here and have a few articles on the main site. It seems like most other large news sites are pretending it doesn't exist.

[gr8buddy]

My Photoblog supports the STOP SOPA campaign, A photo I created using iPhone
http://shotwithmyphone.com/stop-sopa-save-the-internet-from-going-dark-i

[Ramajin]

Craigslist loads a protest page when you visit. After a few seconds, a link to your original destination presents itself.

[Kermode]

Except Copyright is amoral. Copyright is theft.
Perhaps the pirates have a point.

[Darkheart69]

I have heard of 100's of Ideas that where stolen because someone got a copyright on the Idea after seeing someone elses work.

[Elkleader1921]

Not only those that are blacking out their pages voluntarily, but the website (www.auroraelks1921.org) I do for my Elks Lodge has had all of its content removed and replaced with notices of SOPA violations by persons unknown which I feel is not limited to hackers but may be the government flexing their power with the cooperation of web hosting companies.

[hategovenmentscrewtheman]

what can i say ima a convict so i cant vote buti dont believe its right to sencer americans to what they can and cant look up on the net i also dont believe that ppl should be steeling others ideasi say we group up and go to washington and throw out the garbage i.e. most of the repulicans hell lets just get rid of them all there worthless and they only care about the mighty dallar and who can make there pockets fat but the difference between me and every one else is im violent and dont have a problem with hurting some ppl to get what i want in my life man i cant wait for another civil war that would awsome a fresh start all the debt would be gone and a new america would be born

[B_BLANCO77]

I as an american feel as though if we are the land of the free how come there are so many restricitions that our government is attempting to hurl on us. There is nothing liberating about restricitions on the tools we use everyday such as the internet

[streetboarder]

What no one understands is that EVERYTHING somewhere along the line at this point is COPYRIGHTEN! Youtube, MetaCafe, ect. use the same technology and maybe the same videos...so Youtube can shut down the others because its "Bigger" and Sony can shut down youtube just because it can? this will surely lead to a monopoly of the internet.