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7. SOPA: Will SOPA protect the entertainment industry or lead to censorship?
The Stopping Online Piracy Act (SOPA) went before the house in late 2011 amid a flurry of attention from major internet companies, website hosts, internet security companies and concerned citizens. If the bill passes, it allows the U.S. government to dictate that ISPs block access to sites that host copyrighted material. Though most support the effort to control copyrighted material, the reality is that many will still attempt to obtain copyrighted material from servers outside the U.S. Blocking servers from outside the U.S. to alleviate this problem is also not a practical solution to many. The debate will likely continue well into the New Year.

What we learned:
Government-enforced website blocking should carefully be considered before implementation.

What can we do to protect ourselves?
First, employ a strong internet security suite to protect you and limit information your children share online. Second, carefully consider whom you allow to take and share pictures of you. Third, watch carefully for online and email scams. Fourth, employ all privacy blocks on your social media accounts. You may want to use a unique account for public or work use. Last, change your passwords frequently. 2012 will be a year for evaluating our current privacy laws and carefully considering future protocols for protecting our privacy.

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