Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) (2011)

Ley para Detener la Piratería en Internet (SOPA) and Ley de Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (PIPA) were two United States federal bills introduced in 2011 to combat online copyright infringement and protect intellectual property. These bills aimed to give the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the authority to seek court orders against websites that allegedly engaged in copyright infringement, and to force those websites to be blocked by internet service providers (ISPs). The bills also allowed for the seizure of domain names and the sale of seized domains to the highest bidder. The proposed legislation sparked widespread controversy and criticism from various groups, including technology companies, civil liberties organizations, and many in the online community. Critics argued that the bills would stifle innovation, infringe on free speech, and create a "censorship" of the internet. The bills also raised concerns about the potential for abuse and overreach by the government and copyright holders. As a result, the bills were met with significant opposition and were eventually shelved. The controversy surrounding SOPA and PIPA highlighted the ongoing debate about the balance between intellectual property protection and online freedom.