Law Professors Line Up Against PROTECT IP Act

Yesterday, 108 law professors, led by CDT Fellow David Post among others, sent a letter to Congress urging that PROTECT IP be rejected. The letter lays out similar arguments to one sent last year: That the bill constitutes a prior restraint on speech with insufficient process, that it would upset the stability and security of the DNS, and that it would set a dangerous international precedent.

Impressively, yesterday’s letter has over twice as many signatures as last year’s. This is an encouraging sign that opposition to the bill is mounting. The House is reportedly drafting its own “rogue website” legislation; let’s hope this letter helps the drafters avoid the pitfalls of the DNS-blocking approach taken by the Senate.