Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Darrel Issa have introduced the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Act (OPEN) to compete with two other anti-piracy bills now working their way through Congress.
OPEN is meant to address the concerns of internet companies and ISPs about granting the US attorney general broad power to take down offending websites. Instead, OPEN would make it the International Trade Commission’s responsibility to determine if a site is infringing. The ITC could then issue a cease and desist order upon the site and/ or any third parties assisting the site.
Keepthewebopen.com allows users to comment on the language of the bill and includes a chart comparing OPEN to the competing Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act.
Internet companies including Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Yahoo! Are reportedly supporting OPEN.
A markup of SOPA could happen this week.