A recent update to the Judiciary Committee’s list of top supporters for the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act, more commonly known as SOPA or “that horrible law in congress,” suggests that alliances may be shifting behind the scenes. The refreshed list shows that top game makers Nintendo, Sony, and EA have dropped their support the law.
Of course, things might not be what they seem. In the case of Sony, for instance, their music and video companies still remain firmly on the SOPA support list. Only the game-making division, Sony Electronics, pulled its name. For Nintendo and EA, while their names are gone from the list, they are still members of the Entertainment Software Association, which is also still on the list. Sony is also a member of the ESA. This network of inter-relation makes it hard to figure out where, in some cases, companies stand.
Also, simply taking their names off the list doesn’t necessarily indicate a change of heart for the companies. Perhaps the SOPA fight has become too polarized and too public for them to feel comfortable, or perhaps they found that the bill that emerged from the mark-up process was no longer attractive.
Regardless, it’s interesting to see how the bill and the support for it is changing as it edges closer to a vote. You can read the whole list of SOPA supporters here, which is a truly odd assemblage of companies. Who knew that Estée Lauder Companies, L’Oreal, Revlon, True Religion Brand Jeans, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship were so concerned about Internet piracy!
(Electronista via Techmeme, Business Insider)
- More from our SOPA coverage
- Should SOPA be enacted, this We The People petition would take down WhiteHouse.gov
- GoDaddy drops SOPA support
