Blackout Against Copyright Overreach: Stop SOPA and PIPA

The Tor Project doesn't usually get involved with U.S. copyright debates. But SOPA and PIPA (the House's "Stop Online Piracy Act" and the Senate's "Protect-IP Act") go beyond enforcement of copyright. These copyright bills would strain the infrastructure of the Internet, on which many free communications -- anonymous or identified -- depend. Originally, the bills proposed that so-called "rogue sites" should be blocked through the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS). That would have broken DNSSEC security and shared U.S. censorship tactics with those of China's "great firewall."

Now, while we hear that DNS-blocking is off the table, the bills remain threatening to the network of intermediaries who carry online speech. Most critically to Tor, SOPA contained a provision forbidding "circumvention" of court-ordered blocking that was written broadly enough that it could apply to Tor -- which helps its users to "circumvent" local-network censorship. Further, both bills broaden the reach of intermediary liability, to hold conduits and search engines liable for user-supplied infringement. The private rights of action and "safe harbors" could force or encourage providers to censor well beyond the current DMCA's "notice and takedown" provision (of which Chilling Effects documents numerous burdens and abuses).

On January 18, we're joining Wikipedia, Reddit, the MIT Media Lab, and hundreds of others in protest, turning a portion of the Tor site black to call attention to copyright balance and remind the US Congress and voters of the value of the open Internet.

U.S. citizens, please call or write, to urge your representatives to stop SOPA and PIPA. Elsewhere in the world, keep an eye out for similar legislation. and bring the fight there too.


January 17, 2012




January 20, 2012

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)



Our device has been hijacked and robbed of it's contents, partially. This includes information we had stored privately, as in not posted to any social network. Included in this menagerie were recorded images of works in progress, not yet copywritten/registered, so forth as well as images we consider private, which are not pornographic and do not harm anyone but nonetheless could be distorted, altered in context, redistributed; we cannot account for what becomes of this hacked information and feel violated. We have had materials spoofed, not merely removed. Not each of us has the level of proficiency to guard against online onslaughts of various sorts. We are vulnerable, in the current environment, to some degree, lacking certain skills. We cannot as it is entirely account for having received pirated materials...which is a concern. I do not know that a lack of techno literacy ought to render anyone defenseless. We understand, support and admire those efforts to preserve free speech. Still, there are kinks to iron out and I am the last person that knows how, exactly, that ought to take place.

I agree fully with your concerns and appreciate your carefull way of presenting your doubts. Yet I would like to add the following to your point: ours limited internet abilities shouldn't be the main factor for making a law for all the people, who use the internet. Our difficulties in protecting ourselves can be bridged and remedied by public services like Electronic Frontier Foundation and Tor Organization.

I support your protest as an American who lives in Iran.
I have been using Tor as the only way and means to scape censorship and
keep my anonymity.
If the US of A want to follow suite with Iranian and Chinese government,then what is
the difference among that and the other two ?

Anonymous who wants to stay ANONYMOUS .

No podran contra nodotros


The USA Suck because of this
I support what your website is doing

This Bill must be stopped, if it goes through what next censored press, censored schooling. The Internet must remain Censorship free , Protect our freedom say no to SOPA and PIPA

Censored press and schools? You already have those dude.

Censored press and schools? You already have those dude.

Congrats. Keep up the fight.


Because they just are. With their browser, you have the opportunity to surf absolutely anonymous. Meaning, if you use their browser and illegally download movies or mp3s, nobody can see where you are actually sitting. I think that's enough for making TOR a really great site. I urge you to try TOR - it's absolutely FREE !

your never invincible tor has weaknesses be smart be careful

We have done well. There is still so much further to go.


True That With a Jew Hat.

BY STARTERS, absolutely without any aim on degrading these services; we should not rely on this sort of software to protect our privacy from anything nor anyone: Ideally this and all other similar resources shouldn't be necessary if external scrutiny would not exist. This is I mean: authorities are supposed to protect it, not to attempt against it.

This is an important matter, that deserves real attention, copyright can't be compared with it, as we're talking of items against persons,

If this succeeds under conscience of what's being affected then becomes clear what the real US policy is, who's sake it's for and how it's expended in matter of real human rights, if they won't respect this then it's the real start-point to accept they won't respect anything.This is a real threat against all of us not only some,

This is something that just must not happen, It's just another excuse to invade freedom in the name of another so called 'right' [by system]. If they will to use real tactical methods to find measures against copyrights threats, at the time they'll get to strain them also they'll get to improve on important threads like i.e. speech freedom, privacy, etcetera, and not in the whole opposite way,

Where I am, we're unexpectedly living a nonsense war, and most people is convinced it's because authorities do know not how to stop running such 'wise' policies, [...]

Impressively and believe it or not, just at the moment I'm typing this I had to turn off the light and hide myself for a brief time until I could hear the some-80 gunfire shots for halt, just at 30 ft from my bedroom's window, [wow]
It's not the first shooting I've heard in this same range of distance but the nearest, longest and loudest, And if it's not going to be also the last, I really hope it keeps being like that in same such terms, and yes, my heart really pounded ...

this really happened when at my typing, as I'm just writing it,

This could be not a big deal for many people, but when you are used to live in a place where oneself usually told of to be the biggest monastery in earth inhabited of about +1 000 000 of souls and suddenly all this is just happening, just because 'urgent' measures 'must' be held,

[...] which have taken off thousands of innocent lifes, [I was to type this when this shooting came up suddenly]

[If you want to know where I am just look at news for a dr*g's war hit country,]

It's just gone too far. Such bill in such terms must be ignored. There are real effective ways to protect copyright, along everything else must be protected, just think it for real,

Bills on topics like privacy, freedom of speech and on, must be treated, guaranteed and defended first. These are real priorities.

If websites like Wikipedia and others block the IP's of all politicians in the US who are supporting SOPA & PIPA, would that convince them to wote against these proposals?

that's a more precise action, but
* i think it would be difficult to legally identify their IPs.
* popular site shutdowns motivate third parties a little to maybe 'do something' (complain or something.)

Brilliant. Go for guys. You have our full support.
Tor has always been a great resource and sort of uber community. I'm software developer and sys admin and I gained a lot of personal knowledge on .onion sites. It'd be a shame for the whole world if the people didn't have right to access free information whenever and whereever.

支持！ also Protesting Against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)

what can i do? im in central america

dont eat hamburgers, when you do it, you get next order :)

Does PIPA contain "circumvention" ban, or SOPA only?

The United States have essentially run out of places to invade. Nations that could barely fight back, have been brutalized over the past one hundred years. Those who haven't, are either so called "allies", or, have nukes. So now, they've decided to invade the next frontier: cyberspace. What is most incredible however, is how the entire world is uniting, to realize the greatest threats to freedom, peace, and world stability today, do not come from men who's names are of middle eastern descent, but rather from men with names like John, Michael, Richard, and others.

People need to wake up and see that SOPA/PIPA are only symptoms of a much larger problem: government being too big. Read, watch and vote Ron Paul for more information on this topic.


Greetings from Serbia!


This is what it's all about, friends!

Carlin – The Real Owners Of America




“This country is finished.”


We are anonymous, we are legion, WE DO NOT FORGET, WE ARE ANON!!!!

Protest had effect, new law is not made, they will discuss it in the future. But, shutting down megaupload and arresting of owners is also part of this story, FBI act even before SOPA/PIPA is adopted as law by congress. So, my question would be: is it possible to make filesharing site as a tor hidden service, with using html5 instead of Adobe Flash? Tor is not using Flash but html5 (video tags) is not using flash also, problem is only traffic of Tor network... I think if someone create new "megaupload" software for upload/download, which would include Tor Relay bundle, number of PC included in tor network would jump and traffic speed would be better.
By the way, if Tor network is provided only by 800 computers, obviously more advertising of Tor should be done and it would bring more people to install Relay and to make tor network bigger.

Europe is sending their American brothers reinforcements!

Can anyone put me in the Marine Corps OCS class for January 2012

We support your efforts!

After the November elections, these will be tacked on to a much needed bill and passed by a "Lame Duck" congress. Obama will sign it while proclaiming his opposition.

Same old same old.

From Brazil
I am against SOPA !!!

From Brazil.
I am against SOPA, let's stay in countries that give us freedom!

From Brazil.