Reddit's Next SOPA Target: Paul Ryan

Plus, looks like 'Dump GoDaddy Day' actually worked
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 30, 2011 7:59 AM CST
Reddit Users Put Paul Ryan on Defense Over SOPA; GoDaddy Takes Hit After Boycott
House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., center.   (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Behold the power of Reddit: Users fuming over Paul Ryan's alleged support of a controversial online piracy bill have prompted a clarification from the congressman. "Contrary to false reports, Congressman Paul Ryan is not a cosponsor of HR 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act," said a rep, though he stopped short of saying Ryan opposes the act. In fact, Ryan's position on the matter seems to be unsettled, notes the Atlantic Wire, calling him an "odd target" since other lawmakers have offered clear support for the bill.

Meanwhile, Reddit users' calls for a boycott of GoDaddy over its brief support for the measure seem to have been successful. The firm "observed a spike in domain name transfers, which are running above normal rates and which we attribute to GoDaddy’s prior support for SOPA, which was reversed," the CEO said in a statement viewable at TechCrunch. Now, "GoDaddy opposes SOPA" because it has not built "consensus among stake-holders in the technology and Internet communities." Wikipedia is among those threatening to ditch GoDaddy, according to the Young Turks. (More Reddit stories.)

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