With share buttons on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, just to name a few, we are constantly given permission to share work and this is confusing. Are share buttons illegal?
Why would a studio not want me to share a trailer for their movie on my Facebook page?
When someone writes an article can I add a link to that article on my blog?
If I do add that article do I have to note the author and the media outlet or is that obvious enough when someone follows that link?
Can a teacher print out an article or share a video with their class to spark a debate?
I am not a fan of SOPA or PIPA. I have singed the petitions and written my senators. This bill is just more enforcement on laws we already have and I feel it goes overboard. I am artist. I want people to share my work and I don’t want them to be afraid to because they think it is illegal. I respect any ones right to have their work copyrighted and not to have it pirated. Whether a small time (but oh so happy) artist like me or a studio raking in millions(that also create jobs), we all deserve to be credited for our work.
The reason for these bills is to protect work by people in the USA from being pirated and sold in foreign countries. Personally I think it goes too far. We need less Big Brother and to enforce the existing laws. From what I understand YouTube or Facebook can remove you from their sites if you add a video that is pirated, even if you don’t know if it is. Visa and Paypal can block your whole site from selling through their services. It seems a bit extreme and confusing to me. Plain and simple, it is already illegal to share anything that you don’t have permission to share.
Decide for yourself and if you feel SOPA and PIPA need to be stopped, you can sign Googles petition here: https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/
Individual Empowerment 
Here is a resource I was given about copyright law. For all you artists and writers that want to know how to protect your work. http://www.splc.org/knowyourrights/legalresearch.asp?maincat=6
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