The protests surrounding SOPA and PIPA were a great moment
in the history of technology advocacy. If nothing else, they proved that the internet-using public can rise up
and say “NO” to really bad ideas.
However, we all know that “no” is not good enough.
That is why we are proud to introduce
The Internet Blueprint.
In the weeks since SOPA and PIPA, many people have been
wondering “what now?” Policymakers
here in DC ask us a similar question – “if you don’t like SOPA and PIPA, where
are your ideas?” Today, The
Internet Blueprint is the first step in answering that question. If lawmakers want to pass laws to make
the internet a better place, this is where they should start.
Bills With Details
While it can be reasonably easy to get people to agree on
broad principles, conflict can often come when it is time to focus on
details. That is especially true
when it comes to legislative language – a single word (or even a single comma)
can change the impact of a bill. That is why The Internet Blueprint goes beyond broad concepts and
proposes concrete legislative language. The bills on The Internet Blueprint could be introduced and passed
as-is.
The Internet Blueprint is a place for everyone –
individuals, organizations, and companies – to come together and make it clear
what is important to them. When
you visit the site, the first thing you will see is a list of complete
bills. Along with the text there
is a headline, a short explanation, and a more detailed explanation of both the
problem and our solution.
A Network of Supporters
Each bill will also have supporters. These are people who publicize their
support via social media. They are
also the organizations and companies that are standing behind the bill. As organizations and companies have an
opportunity to evaluate the bills, expect these numbers to grow.
The bill will also have congressional champions. These are Members of Congress who
support the bills. These champions
will get additional recognition when they actually introduce or co-sponsor the
bill. And that is the first place
we need your help. If you see a
bill you like, please take a moment to click through and sign the petition
urging your Representative and Senators to support it.
Great Ideas That Are Not Yet Bills
The second place we need your help is the most important
part of the site. We have lots of
ideas about how to make the internet a better place, but we need more. If you see something is missing from
the list, propose an addition. If
enough people support the idea, we will take a look and see how to turn it into
a bill. We can’t promise that
every idea that gets a lot of support will be turned into a bill, but we can
promise you this: if the idea does not become a bill, we will explain exactly
why we could not do it.
Moving Forward
And that’s The Internet Blueprint, at least for now. Expect to see more bills, more
endorsers, more congressional champions in the days and weeks ahead. Also expect more features. If you have ideas for ways to make the
site better, please send us an email at internetblueprint@publicknowledge.org. Enjoy the site!