SOPA Law Endangers Your UK Business Too
Posted by Jason Rudland on Tue, Jan 17, 2012 @ 02:35 AM
Before the Internet was the mandatory business tool it is today, there was little impact on small business when another country changed its laws. If you were in the import/export business or a global player, then sure, there may have been some taxes or additional hoops to jump through, but you knew what you were getting into. Today, where the Internet has made traditional borders woefully outdated, law changes in other countries can make a real impact on your small business.
You may have heard about SOPA - the Stop Online Piracy Act. Its an attempt to crack down on people stealing copyrighted material using the Internet, which is a great idea. The problem is the astonishing powers this gives the US to shut down your website, or those websites that are essential to your business. If you think this can't effect you & your business, then think again.
Do you use any of these websites to promote your business?
- Google
- Facebook
- Twitter
- YouTube
- LinkedIn
These are all American companies which could easily be shut down under the proposed SOPA law - without warning. Under the law, they shoot first, and ask questions later. They shut you down, then you have to prove you are innocent. All these websites allow user generated content to be published, any of which could be copyrighted.
Does your business trade internationally?
Get Me In Google! is an English small business. Our intention was to sell Inbound marketing services to other UK-based SMEs. As it turns out, we have a large international audience, and geography simply is not an issue for us. As a result we have many non-UK clients. International small business is a reality today, and, if you don't yet trade internationally, there are many opportunities for you to do so in the near future. SPOA could sink your website.
Add your voice
SOPA is an American law, but its actually aimed at other countries. Add your voice to the campaign to stop SOPA, and to put in place a proper solution to copyright piracy instead. The first step is to visit Stop American Censorship, and sign the petition for those not in the US.
