Oregon Public Broadcasting

With some of the Web's best known sites going dark in protest Wednesday, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden says people are becoming more aware of Internet policing issues.

Wyden sides with websites including Wikipedia and Google in a debate over content regulation. It’s about a pair of bills: the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, and a related bill known as PIPA. They would expand the Justice Department's powers to police online sites, with the stated intention of cracking down on pirated content.

Wikipedia and Google on Jan. 18, 2012.

Wyden says there are better ways to protect content creators.

"Nobody disputes the fact there is copyright infringement going on. But as far as I'm concerned it's possible to cut off the money to bad actors without doing the damage to the fundamental architecture of the Internet," Wyden said.

Wyden's sponsoring an alternate bill that calls for setting up enforcement within the International Trade Commission.

Despite the administrative hold Wyden placed on SOPA, the bill is still alive. However, the Obama administration has now indicated it would not support any bill that reduces freedom of expression on the Internet. SOPA opponents took it as a sign the tide may be turning in their favor.