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The World’s no.1 free encyclopedia Wikipedia and Reddit like websites are shutting down on Wednesday 18 January 2012 against the SOPA. This blackout is an online protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Because if it passed then it will damage the internet world which will cause the effect on Wikipedia and Reddit sites also.
The blackout will starts on Wednesday, 18 January 2012 at 05:00 UTC. SOPA is the bill which meant to stop the illegal copying and sharing of web content like movies and music over internet. Giant internet firms such as Wikipedia will face problems due to SOPA so they have announced 24 hours blackout. This is the very first protest of Wikipedia with this nature.
“The Site will go dark on Wednesday for 24 hours for the protest against the bill of SOPA.
- Said Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia
“The decision to shut down Wikipedia for 24 hours was not made by me, it was made by editors, through a consensus decision making process, but I support it.
- Said Sue Gardner, Executive director Wikimedia Foundation.
Jimmy Wales in a tweet said, “This going to be wow”. Other sites like Reddit also protesting against the SOPA and had already announced for blackout on Wednesday. Giant search engine Google and social networks Facebook and Twitter opposed the proposed legislation and will not the join the Wednesday’s blackout. According to Internet giants SOPA requires the ISP to block the websites for content sharing and search engines will stop linking them.
“If you want an internet where human rights, free speech and rule of law are not subordinated to the entertainment industry’s profit, I hope you will join us.
– Said Corry Doctorow, BoingBoing
Sixth most visited website Wikipedia (data according to alexa) will turn of their English version page of 24 hours on Wednesday at 05:00 UTC.
Wikipedia’s English version page snapshot before the 10 hours of blackout -
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(Source : Wikipedia)
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