The Day the Internet Went Dark
Published on the Creative Commons blog.
On January 18, 2012, the web went dark.
Thousands of websites—from Wikipedia and Reddit to Creative Commons—blacked out their pages to protest two U.S. bills: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA).
At first glance, the bills aimed to stop piracy and protect intellectual property. In reality, they were blunt instruments. If passed, they would have allowed entire websites to be taken offline for hosting—or even linking to—a single infringing file. Internet service providers could have been forced to block sites at the domain level. The result would have been unprecedented censorship, broken infrastructure, and a chilling effect on free expression and innovation.
This wasn’t just a policy debate. It was about the very future of the internet.
Why It Still Matters
Ten years on, the fight isn’t over. SOPA and PIPA didn’t pass, but their shadows remain. Similar provisions resurface in new legislation around the world, often framed as protection against piracy, misinformation, or security threats. Meanwhile, many of the dangers feared in 2012—site takedowns, censorship, and domain seizures—are happening today.
The story of SOPA and PIPA is a reminder: the internet we rely on is fragile, and public vigilance is essential.
What Happened on January 18, 2012
The protest wasn’t a whisper; it was a roar.
50,000 websites went dark.
162 million people visited Wikipedia’s blackout page.
115,000 sites, including Creative Commons, added banners and messages linking to Congress.
Google’s petition gathered over 7 million signatures.
Electronic Frontier Foundation reported over 1 million emails sent to Congress in a single day.
2.4 million tweets spread the word.
Nearly 887,000 phone calls poured into Congressional offices.
By nightfall, lawmakers were retreating. SOPA was tabled. PIPA was postponed.
A Historic Marker of Solidarity
The New York Times wrote that the blackout sent “an unmistakable message to lawmakers grappling with new media issues: Don’t mess with the Internet.”
And yet, the deeper lesson is this: January 18 wasn’t just about defeating two bills. It was about proving that people could organize, speak out, and protect the principles that make the internet worth having—openness, access, and freedom.
That day remains a landmark in digital history: a victory for public interest and a reminder of the work still ahead.