The bill being considered in both chambers of Congress that will fundamentally change the internet and make it a felony if you even share a video from a friend of a friend of a friend (etc., etc.,) that might have copyright material in it is really pissing people off. How pissed you ask? Well so pissed that some of the internet giants are considering a drastic extreme to send Congress a message:

With debate over SOPA’s future tabled until Congress reconvenes, you might think the issue would have entered a similar lull, but that’s not happened. According to Markham Erickson, head of the NetCoalition trade association, there’s been talk of a so-called “nuclear option,” in which the likes of Google, Amazon, eBay, and Yahoo! would go simultaneously dark to protest the legislation to highlight the fundamental danger the legislation poses to the function of the internet.

There’s been no formal decision on the matter, and the companies in question obviously risk consumer anger and backlash over any suspension of services. There is, however, safety in numbers — and a few simple sentences identifying why the blackout is in place will ensure that the majority of the rage flows in the proper direction.

Even EBay is considering to join in the blackout. Imagine the news if online retailer sales were near nil for a single day because of this? Would Congress wake up then and remember that they represent the people, not the lobbyists? I highly doubt it.

But in Congress we do have one rather strong ally. A man that I usually disagree with and even blast on this blog has taken to his Twitter to try and stop this draconian piece of legislation. That man is Darrell Issa and I got to give him major kudos for standing up for what is right.

This issue is something we haven’t seen in ages. It’s not a typical issue of right versus left, but rather right versus wrong. The only way to get Congress to listen to the people is to send a strong signal and what these companies are proposing is a very strong signal. Hopefully it doesn’t get to that point, but that would require a Congress that listens to the people and if recent history is any indicator then I say we should brace for it.