If you follow any gaming or web TV news at all you have probably heard the terms SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act) bandied about. These terms refer to legislation that is currently making its way through congress in the US. While the idea behind the act is noble (to make sure creators are properly compensated for their work), this is definitely a case of the road to hell being paved with good intentions.

The legislation as it stands at the moment has the potential to change the entire nature of the Internet as we know it. Sites can be pulled down without notice because of comments made by their users, the emerging professional gaming coverage on YouTube and other sites will likely disappear and worst of all, none of this will actually prevent any piracy from happening.

While the blackouts on sites such as Wikipedia and Reddit are a good start and those people in the US can write to their congressman/woman, the millions of Internet users around the world that will be just as affected as anyone else have had little recourse until now. Here is a short video from several notable figures in the gaming media/industry to show how you can make a difference.

So make sure to ask your favorite gaming websites and YouTube channel to join the cause by not attending and covering E3 this year until the ESA changes their stance on SOPA and PIPA. If they truly opposed this legislation the last thing they want to do is support an entity that spent a fortune on PIPA lobbying.

You can sign a petition to have the ESA remove their support from SOPA/PIPA here:
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-esa-petition-and-boycott-e3