14 DAY TRIAL // Mozilla has joined the fray and is implementing a blackout of the entire Mozilla.org site in protest of SOPA and PIPA, the two ill-conceived anti-piracy laws that threaten the very fabric of the internet.
Mozilla.org is one of the top 10 websites in the world and joins Wikipedia.org, another top 10 site, in implementing a complete blackout. Mozilla's definition of 'complete' is a bit different than Wikipedia's as only the pages at the main www.mozilla.org are blacked-out. Others are protesting as well, including Google and WordPress.
The add-ons repository, at addons.mozilla.org still works. What's more, you can still download Firefox if you spot the link on the blackout page Mozilla is running.
Still, it is one of the biggest websites on the planet and the main page or the regular Firefox download page, which is also blacked-out, is where most people will end up.
"Mozilla will join with other sites in a virtual strike to protest the Protect IP Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). These bills protect content at all costs, creating the opportunity for abuse and damaging the Web for all of us," Mozilla writes.
"We will be blacking out the default start page in Firefox and redirecting key Mozilla websites to a special action page. Both steps are aimed at informing and mobilizing millions of our users on this important issue," it said.
Mozilla.org is now displaying a blackout page full of information on what SOPA and PIPA are, how they threaten the web and what people can do about it. There is also a big bright red "Take Action Now!" button which leads to an EFF page enabling Americans to contact their representatives and voice their concerns.
The Firefox homepage has also been blacked out in protest, but in this case, the idea is take more literally, as the page is actually black, but the functionality is still there.
