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Tech Report: Congress Postpones Vote On Piracy Bills

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— Congress has postponed votes on two controversial bills that prompted an online protest earlier this week.

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) prompted the shutdown and protest of several popular websites, including Wikipedia, on Wednesday.

Legislators may have underestimated the power of tech companies and apparently are listening for now. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called off the vote and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) "basically cancelled it out of the House Judiciary Committee," according to KCBS' Technology Analyst Larry Magid.

KCBS' Technology Analyst Reports:

But Magid isn't so sure we've heard the last of these bills which are aimed to crack down on internet privacy.

"This is clearly a victory for the online protest. It was absolutely stunning in terms of the number of people affected and who wrote in. It really got into the heartland which was shocking to me," said the self-professed internet geek.

Magid was referring to a Wall Street Journal report where Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), said when he was making the rounds, SOPA and PIPA was a topic raised all over the state.

Magid commented on how the issue and controversy was framed as tech-sector versus entertainment industry, but that ultimately it was adding the end user and bringing them to Washington that made a difference.

"Silicon Valley really flexed its muscle," he said.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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