Canadian Gamers Weigh In On SOPA

The Canadian Gamers Organization is a gamer advocacy group based in Canada. We are currently watching developments across the border on a piece of US legislation that may impact the global gaming community tremendously. That legislation is the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). There are completely entrenched positions both for and against this policy, and conflicting reports as to what this will mean for gamers.

The main threat to the global gaming community SOPA currently provides is accessing content through social media, and gaming sites. Both gamers and the gaming industry rely heavily on social media and independent sites for information on games, game promotion, gaming news and tips. Both gamers and industry are heavily embedded both socially and economically towards social media and user generated content. We applaud the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and its members for following its prime market and doing a stellar job in helping create a global gaming community online that is in the interests of both the game developers and gaming consumers. SOPA may put this global gaming community at risk. Those with the most to lose if SOPA becomes reality are primarily the game developers and publishers, who use social media to connect to the global gaming community, thus SOPA will have a tremendous negative impact on sales for this industry if it stays in its current form.

CGO believes SOPA as currently written may impact games currently allowing gamers the option to upload user generated content to the web, or use of user generated content in games. Possibly the blocking online multiplayer of some games that use US servers, if game developers or games are accused of infringing on content. Gaming videos and links in game to social media may also be impacted by this legislation.

What we find most troubling however, is the impact this could potentially have on Canadian game developers and their access to the US market, thus Canadian jobs. The legislation is loosely written with loopholes that can allow for some anti-competitive behaviours in several industries. Specifically it is not targeted nor defines what a “rouge” site is.  CGO is asking Canadian politicians to keep a close eye on this legislation and move to protect Canadian businesses from any negative impact this may have on our jobs and tech economy in SOPA’s current form.

Those lobbying before congress are providing false facts to support the need for such legislation. This can and will lead to unintentional negative impacts on the US tech sector (thus the Canadian tech sector) if this bill is rushed through. We are concerned that some Canadian game developers currently lobbying US congress through the ESA have not stepped up to the plate and been more vocal on SOPA.

The Canadian Gamers Organization stands with the global gaming community in denouncing SOPA as currently written, however we do recognize that this legislation is still in its infancy and has a long way to go before it becomes law. The bill must pass a domestically unpopular Congress before it’s put to the Senate, which will throw another committee on it. If passed in the Senate, it has to be signed into law by Obama during an election year. There’s still some very tough hurtles to go through yet, let alone an inevitable constitutional challenge if SOPA does pass as is, not to mention international trade complaints. CGO will be following developments as they arise, and urge Canadian officials and the gaming industry to express their concern on this subject to US law makers, and ensure that a balanced approach (which includes the rights of tech users and consumers) is put forth.

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Jason Koblovsky
Co-Founder - Canadian Gamers Organization