NZ govt seeks advice on US anti-piracy law
New IT minister Amy Adams speaks out on SOPA.
New Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amy Adams has told NBR she is monitoring controversy in the US over the pending Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).
"I am seeking advice on the implications for NZ," Ms Adams said.
"The government takes any intrusion into freedom of rights seriously."
However, minister did not give a direct response to NBR's query on whether the NZ government would actively oppose the legislation - a course of action suggested by InternetNZ chief executive Vikram Kumar.
Along with many in the tech industry, Mr Kumar is concerned that SOPA will allow US companies to target sites around the world, including New Zealand, that are merely accused of piracy or counterfeiting. Under SOPA, providers like Google, PayPal and domain name servers could be ordered to block service to an accused website.
SOPA is before the House of Representatives. A companion piece of legislation, PIPA (the Protect Intellectual Property Act) is before the Senate.
President Obama has opposed the legislation. A White House statement said the laws would "encourage unjustified litigation that could discourage startup businesses and innovative firms from growing."
Chris Keall and Alex Walls
Thu, 19 Jan 2012
Thu, 19 Jan 2012
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NZ govt seeks advice on US anti-piracy law
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