The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is blasting such websites as Google, Wikipedia and Reddit who have blacked out their pages in an effort to protest support for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), /Film is reporting. SOPA is a piece of legislation from the House of Representatives that threatens to not only curb piracy and illegal activity, but also the method of information use which is regularly seen over the Internet.

If SOPA passes, the power to shut down U.S. websites will be unprecedented. Websites can be shut down if the U.S. attorney general asks courts to order ISPs to block access to them within America.

SOPA can even block websites that are suspected or accused of copyright infringement, or to those that link to sites that infringe copyright. The block could be put into action immediately, with little or no warning. If a website receives a complaint over how it uses content, it could result in destructive action.

The MPAA blames piracy for a wide variety of problems within the film industry. MPAA chairman and CEO Senator Chris Dodd issued statement criticizing companies involved in the SOPA protests. He called the blackout “another gimmick, albeit a dangerous one, designed to punish elected and administration officials who are working diligently to protest American jobs from foreign criminals.”

Dodd added it’s the MPAA’s hope “that the White House and the Congress will call on those who intend to stage this blackout to stop the hyperbole and PR stunts and engage in meaningful efforts to combat piracy.” He also said the blackout “is an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on them for information…It is also an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today.”

Written by: Karen Benardello