The Power of the Protest

Earlier this week, we celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the activism -- largely fueled by protests, sit-ins and marches -- that changed America.

It shouldn't be any surprise that the power of the protest still reigns supreme and has gone viral, with the online protests of two congressional bills, SOPA and PIPA. Sites like Google and Wikipedia are "going dark" today to protest the bills, the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act. The Detroit Free Press explains, "the two bills anathema to many of the biggest voices on the Web, including Google, Wikipedia and Facebook.The gist of these two acts is this: the government is seeking the ability to shut down access to foreign sites that it determines are 'facilitating the commission' of copyright infringement."

CNN gives an excellent breakdown  of what's at stake, summarizing: "Both sides say they agree that protecting content is a worthy goal. But opponents say that the way SOPA is written effectively promotes censorship and is rife with the potential for unintended consequences."

It looks like lawmakers are already trying to figure out how to go back to the drawing board to find a solution that will satisfy both parties.

But had it not been for protests of some of pretty massive companies, we may not have known a thing about it. 

The power of the protest still lives -- and when done correctly -- gets the attention it deserves.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc.With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.