Over the past few weeks there has been a significant backlash growing against SOPA (the anti-piracy bills introduced in Congress) – read here or here for background. The biggest change since the bills were introduced is that big technology vendors (significantly including Microsoft and working through the Business Software Alliance) have either withdrawn support or gotten off the fence. The BSA is now officially lobbying against SOPA as written. In the world of strange bedfellows, there are also a number of politicians on both sides of the aisle publicly opposing the bill. It does take some real legislative talent to help create a Pelosi – Paul – Issa common cause.
Despite the growing opposition, there certainly appears to be a concerted effort in Congress to get the bill passed. The outcome is far from clear at this point.
While SOPA by itself remains a major threat to innovation for educational technology and open education in general, it may be helpful to step back and see the growing list of federal laws and regulations that could have a major impact on innovation in higher education. While each issue is interesting in and of itself, a pattern is emerging. This pattern suggests that organizations interested in preserving the status quo – are actively pushing back against the tide of change brought by online systems, online education, and digital content.