WHAT'S NEXT

Tell Electronic Arts to Oppose Internet Censorship
  1. Signatures
    137,849 out of 150,000
    Petitioning
    1. VP, Worldwide PR, Electronic Arts (+ 3 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • VP, Worldwide PR, Electronic Arts (Tammy Levine)
      • VP, Business and Legal Affairs, Electronic Arts (Joel Linzner)
      • CEO, Electronic Arts (John Riccitiello)
      • SVP, Corporate Communicatons, Electronic Arts (Jeff Brown)
  2. Created By
    Shashank Kasturirangan
    New York, NY
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Jan 20, 2012

While the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) were both put on hold on Friday, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) became the first major industry association to drop its support for SOPA. The ESA is the main trade association for video game companies and was one of the main business associations pushing for the bills. The ESA spent $190,000 lobbying the Senate to pass PIPA in just six months in 2011.

In a statement, the ESA said: "Although the need to address this pervasive threat to our industry's creative investment remains, concerns have been expressed about unintended consequences stemming from the current legislative proposals. Accordingly, we call upon Congress, the Obama Administration, and stakeholders to refocus their energies on producing a solution that effectively balances both creative and technology interests."

The victories comes after over 137,000 people joined Shashank Katsurirangan's Change.org campaign calling on Electronic Arts, one of the most prominent ESA members to oppose SOPA. EA had previously stated it did not have a position on the bills even though it is a member of the ESA. At least five ESA members had publicly opposed the bills and ESA's position in support of them. Shashank's petition received broad attention in gaming and technology media outlet. Supporters of the petition used Facebook and Twitter to amplify the petition and even organized a virtual march of Sims characters on the Facebook wall for The Sims 3 (an EA game).

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is a tool that protects monopolists and targets sites relied on by small-time businesses, like indie game developers and artists, condoning disproportionate action against these sites for any evidence of copyright infringement from any of their users. If EA wants to protect their monopoly so badly, we need to let them know that they will lose far more business by supporting this bill than by allowing indie developers to operate unimpeded. It is obvious that this bill's primary use is to paint a big red bullseye on the main distributors of indie content, protecting the market shares of big-time businesses like Electronic Arts.

EA is a member of the Entertainment Software Association which supports SOPA. It's time for EA to stand up and publicly oppose SOPA. Don't mess with the internet, EA. You will regret it.

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Publicly Oppose SOPA

Greetings,

As an EA consumer, I support your decision not to support the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), but I am not happy yet.

The Stop Online Piracy Act is a violation of basic freedoms, and it works against the interests of the majority of your consumer base. Not supporting SOPA is a first step, but now you must take the next step.

It is no secret that Electronic Arts is part of the Entertainment Software Association, which continues to align itself with this intrusive piece of legislation. Until EA either distances itself from the ESA and its choice to support the bill OR publicly expresses its opposition to the bill, its position will be treated as ambivalent. Such a position is unacceptable to me, considering the outrageous stance a bill like SOPA takes towards free speech on the internet.

I hope you continue to make the right choices, and that the step you have taken is the first towards your fully renouncing the Stop Online Piracy Act.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

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