The WIKIPEDIA BLACKOUT!!!

Everyone trying to access the online encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA will see this message today:

 "Imagine a world without free knowledge.'

The 24 hour blackout has been done in protest against US legislation laws SOPA, which stands for 'Stop Online Piracy Act' and PIPA 'Protect IP act' in the aim to stop online piracy. It is believed that this blackout will open the door to internet censorship, and prevent future misinterpretations online.

Usually we visit Wikipedia for facts, but this online publicity stunt, instead gives us fears not facts. SOPA and PIPA may be aiming for users to look elsewhere for information, but this is going to cause negative consequences for the speed, stability and security of the internet.

Although Wikipedia have only taken the English- language content offline, and the encyclopedia is still available on smart phones and mobile devices, which makes me think the 24 hour blackout is a way to generate awareness not to prevent damage to the website and limit peoples access to online information.

In my opinion a more powerful protest would have been to close the URL without any acknowledgment and justification. However instead we are all aware that Wikipedia is 'dark for a day'... which is not a drastic movement and it is not a frightening precedent.