There are plenty of websites – not to mention several apps – that will help you figure out where certain companies stand on the Stop Online Piracy and Protect IP Acts. What has been harder to track is how lawmakers who haven’t co-sponsored the bill stand on the divisive issues, or how campaign contributions may influence their decisions when the measures finally come up for a vote.
SOPA Track, a geo-enabled mobile HTML application, is designed to figure out who your Representative and Senators are in Congress and immediately let you know how they stand on SOPA and PIPA.
After you allow SOPA Track to pinpoint your location or you enter your address, you’re given an easy-to-read display that shows whether or not your Congressperson has taken a public stance on SOPA, how much money they have received from big media, pro-SOPA groups and anti-SOPA groups, as well as their office phone number and links to their Web and social media sites. You can also search by street address or browse by state.
Randy Meech, who created and maintains the site, said in an email he plans to update it once a vote happens to reflect how each member of Congress voted on the measure (most legislators currently have a question mark next to their names as they have yet to take a public stance on the measures).
“At the next election, use this app at your polling place to inform your vote,” SOPA Track’s main page reads.
SOPA would block access to sites accused of violating U.S. copyright laws. The measure has been called Draconian by opponents who say it would fundamentally change the free-flow of information across the Internet. Proponents, ranging from the NBA to Universal, say the measure is needed to block sites which flagrantly flaunt copyright laws and make content available for free without paying copyright owners.
