PROTECT IP Act Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.Discussion of intellectual property rights online can quickly get into murky, troubled waters. Ever since we learned how to share and download files, media of all kinds has been spreading around the internet like a proverbial wildfire. And in an age where we’re finally coming to terms with the fact that, hey, maybe everything really is just a remix, of sorts, most of us view the rampant piracy and mashing up of content as less a death toll marking the decline of creativity, a gravestone marking the demise of original thought as we know it, but rather a new kind of creative renaissance.The entertainment industry, however, has other thoughts in mind. The latest move in a decades-long battle with piracy and copyright infringement is a bill called the PROTECT-IP Act that would essentially allow the U.S. government to block access to sites they deemed inappropriate. The bill would criminalize posting all sorts of standard web content — music playing in the background of videos, footage of people dancing, kids playing video games, and posting video of people playing cover songs. A move that would not only stifle free speech and creative expression, but potentially endanger hundreds of user-generated media sites like Vimeo, Tumblr, SoundCloud and more.The bill was just introduced last week and has already caused quite a stir in the arts community. The video above explains how it works, what the potential dangers are, and calls viewers to sign a petition or contact their lawmakers in opposition of this potentially dangerous legislation.Visit their website for more information and to sign the petition.