[dangrossman]

They're certainly trying to get in front of this story before the 18th. I hope none of the sites planning to protest drop those plans.

Politicians and lobbyists know well that the public has a short attention span -- a few weeks of quiet and most of the discussion will have died down. When's the last time you read about protesting the full body scanners and patdowns of children at airports?

Even if these bills are shelved now, they'll be back later this year.

[sp332]

There's so much crappy IP legislation right now, we could easily switch to, say the Research Works Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_Works_Act which would put some taxpayer-funded research results behind paywalls. [edit] It's effectively double-dipping, getting paid once to do the research and then again if you want to actually read the results.

[impendia]

Wrong, we researchers are not double-dipping, just because the publishers are charging exorbitant sums doesn't mean we see a dime of it.

[ErrantX]

The risk there is that the media just ignores it (or worse, casts the internet as "failing to understand Congress, because it is shelved", or something like that).

Which leaves the big protest flopped - and after the election fracas no one will remember it.

I think this was a very smart move by the bill proponents. And, unfortunately, a protest now risks playing into their hands.

[ars]

It'll be a tough call for those sites.

"Internet sites go dark for a bill that was canceled 2 days ago."

Sites planning a blackout better reframe quickly and make the blackout about internet censorship (in general) instead of SOPA in particular.

IMO they put in too long of a lead time from announcement to implementation. Google has not said anything, and now will not have to backtrack, but other sites will.

[toyg]

Easy! :s/SOPA/PIPA/g

PIPA, the sister bill coming through Senate, is still there and needs to be squashed as well.

[ars]

Once it's been canceled in either branch it's dead.

They both need to pass it for it to become law so PIPA doesn't matter anymore except maybe symbolically.

[toyg]

Technically a bill originating in any branch can be approved and then sent to the other branch for debate, amendment and approval, followed by reconciliation if it now differs from the version originally approved.

I don't see why you couldn't have a situation where PIPA supporters lay low for a news cycle or two, then get PIPA approved and sent to the House when nobody is watching. PIPA is even more generically-worded than SOPA, so it will be more difficult to fight it on the basis that "it will break the internet".

There is clearly a lot of money riding on this bill, and it's election year.