Pronunciation: [sˈə͡ʊpə] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "SOPA" is straightforward: it is simply s-o-p-a. However, the phonetic transcription reveals some nuance. "S" is pronounced as the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/, whereas "O" is pronounced as the open-mid back rounded vowel /ɔ/. "P" is pronounced as the voiceless bilabial plosive /p/, and "A" is pronounced as the open front unrounded vowel /a/. In summary, "SOPA" is pronounced as /sɔpɑ/.
SOPA, an acronym for the Stop Online Piracy Act, is a proposed piece of legislation that was introduced in the United States Congress in 2011. It sought to combat copyright infringement and online piracy by granting broad powers to copyright holders and law enforcement agencies. The bill aimed to target websites that were deemed to be engaged in or facilitating copyright infringement.
Under SOPA, copyright holders would have been able to seek court orders that could ultimately result in compelling internet service providers, search engines, and other online entities to block access to or remove content that violated copyright laws. This would have included websites hosting user-generated content such as videos, music, and images. The bill also proposed criminalizing certain streaming of copyrighted intellectual property.
SOPA was met with significant opposition from various factions, including internet companies, civil liberties groups, and internet users. Critics argued that the legislation threatened free speech, innovation, and the overall stability of the internet. There were concerns about the potential for abuse and the erosion of due process rights.
Ultimately, SOPA faced resistance and was ultimately shelved in 2012, following widespread online protests and activism. However, it sparked a broader conversation about intellectual property, piracy, and the balance between protecting copyright and maintaining internet freedom.
