This is kind of a big deal. The BSA is a big player in copyright circles, taking a hard line in trying to stop online piracy of software. When the Stop Online Piracy Act was introduced, the BSA was in favor of it. But now it’s backtracked and says the bill needs refining and narrowing. President and CEO Robert Holleyman now says, in a new blog post:
Valid and important questions have been raised about the bill. It is intended to get at the worst of the worst offenders. As it now stands, however, it could sweep in more than just truly egregious actors. To fix this problem, definitions of who can be the subject of legal actions and what remedies are imposed must be tightened and narrowed. Due process, free speech, and privacy are rights cannot be compromised.
The loss of this support could mean many things. Without support from large copyright trade groups the bill could start languishing in terms of lobbying support. And if a group like the BSA says the bill needs more work, it could mean that the rather substantial opposition the bill has already engendered may be pretty effective.
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