Filed by KOSU News in Business.
September 19, 2012

The big names on the Internet are forming a new lobbying group they hope will influence lawmakers when it comes to privacy and piracy.

The Washington Post reports that Google, Amazon, eBay, Facebook and 10 other Web companies formed the Internet Association to counter any efforts to issue new rules for their industry.

The Post adds:

“The trade association, the first for the Web industry, was created in response to last year’s successful fight against anti-piracy legislation that the firms feared would block or punish their sites for containing pirated movies, books and songs. The bills, known as the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, were derailed after online protests. The bills, supported by some authors and Hollywood, are expected to be revived as Congress grapples with ways to prevent online content theft.

“‘SOPA and PIPA came almost out of nowhere and would have had a devastating impact,’ said (the association chief Michael) Beckerman, former deputy staff director of the House Energy & Commerce Committee.”

PC Magazine reports that the association will focus on three main things: “protecting Internet freedom, fostering innovation and economic growth, and empowering users…” [Copyright 2012 National Public Radio]