We've had a lot of discussion about SOPA and PIPA recently, the bills that want to cripple the internet, but there are still plenty of people who aren't clear on the issues. And although the bills have been shelved for now, similar threats (e.g., ACTA) loom and it's wise to stay informed of the issues at stake. This infographic lays SOPA's and PIPA's legal and technical technical details out pretty clearly.

The graphic from Lumin Consulting covers the main issues and arguments against these bills, including mis-labeling of sites and potential for abuse, based on sources such as Reddit's technical examination of SOPA and Protect IP. The nice thing about infographics is when they're done well, they're easy to scan and read, and this one, as Search Engine Journal notes, is something even non-technical people may understand. So if you know someone who is still unclear about these bills, pass it along. Here's the full image (click to expand and or right-click to save to disk):

A Technical Examination of SOPA and PIPA | Lumin Consulting via Search Engine Journal

After Wednesday's all-day protest of SOPA and PIPA, the bills that want to censor your internet, both bills have been shelved for further consideration, and will not be voted on as scheduled. Rep. Lamar Smith, the sponsor of SOPA, said he's still committed to fighting piracy, but that this legislation isn't the way to do it:

I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy. It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products.

The Committee will continue work with copyright owners, Internet companies, financial institutions to develop proposals that combat online piracy and protect America's intellectual property. We welcome input from all organizations and individuals who have an honest difference of opinion about how best to address this widespread problem. The Committee remains committed to finding a solution to the problem of online piracy that protects American intellectual property and innovation.

We're hesitant to say the bill is "dead", but after the events of this week it's unlikely we'll see SOPA and PIPA come to a vote in their current form. This probably isn't the last we've seen of anti-piracy legislation, of course, and future bills could be just as dangerous. There are still things you can do to help, and while this is a victory, it isn't a permanent one, so we wouldn't get too comfortable just yet. Hit the link to read more.

Photo by Aspect3D (Shutterstock).

Statement from Chairman Smith on Senate Delay of Vote on PROTECT IP Act | US House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary via Ars Technica

Lifehacker has taken some guff today for not joining Wikipedia, Reddit, and many others in going black to protest SOPA, and, yes, for detailing how to circumvent the Wikipedia blackout. So, why aren't we blacked out today, and why are we telling people how to keep using Wikipedia? Do we love SOPA?

The answer, obviously, is no. In fact, we came out strongly against SOPA months ago when we first published this post (the timestamp is current because we updated and republished the post today in recognition of the blackouts across the internet).

The main goal of most SOPA blackouts is to raise awareness. Correct or not, I'm of the opinion that the best way Lifehacker can raise awareness around SOPA is to explain what it is, what it does, and why we think it's a bad idea. So that's what we've done—and our SOPA/PIPA explainer will remain on the front page of Lifehacker all day long.

Our readership is well aware of SOPA. When Wikipedia goes black, people who know nothing about SOPA actually take notice. That doesn't mean that a blackout on Lifehacker couldn't be effective in its own right, or that we don't think anyone should participate in the blackout. But speaking out against something can take many forms. We've simply chosen to do so by making SOPA and PIPA central to the conversation on Lifehacker today.

Finally, to anyone upset about our Wikipedia blackout circumvention, we'll refer you to Wikipedia's FAQ about their SOPA blackout (emphasis ours):

Is it still possible to access Wikipedia in any way?
Yes. During the blackout, Wikipedia is accessible on mobile devices and smart phones. You can also view Wikipedia normally by disabling JavaScript in your browser, as explained on this Technical FAQ page. Our purpose here isn't to make it completely impossible for people to read Wikipedia, and it's okay for you to circumvent the blackout. We just want to make sure you see our message.

So no, Lifehacker doesn't support SOPA. We're just continuing to do what we do every day: Doing our best to make your life easier. It just so happens that today, that involves a bookmarklet that removes a blackout from Wikipedia. And writing about SOPA in a way that makes it easy to understand. Yes, plenty of other factors are involved. But, for whatever it's worth, we're tackling the issue in the way that makes the most sense to us.

That said, we love a good discussion, so whether you agree or disagree with our stance, we're always listening in the comments.

Yes, Wikipedia is blacked out to protest SOPA, the bill that wants to censor your internet. We're already staunchly anti-SOPA around Lifehacker HQ, so while we're all for the blackout (solidarity!), it's kind of preaching to the choir. And while we've rounded up a few ways to circumvent the blackout, the best yet comes courtesy of Chris Beidelman.

Says Chris:

Some simple Javascript fixes the Wikipedia blackout:

 Javascript:document.body.removeChild(document.getElementById("mw-sopaOverlay"));var a=document.getElementById("content").style.display="block";var a=document.getElementById("mw-head").style.display="block";var a=document.getElementById("mw-panel").style.display="block";var a=document.getElementById("footer").style.display="block";var a=document.getElementById("mw-page-base").style.display="block";var a=document.getElementById("mw-head-base").style.display="block"; 

Just open the Wikipedia article, paste the above code into the address bar, and hit enter. Can be made into a bookmarklet.

It's a lot easier to click a bookmark than copy and paste that JavaScript text every time you want to de-blackout a page, so just drag and drop the link below into your bookmark toolbar and click it whenever you want to de-blackout a page on Wikipedia.

Wikipedia White <- drag and drop this link to your browser's bookmark toolbar

Thanks Chris!