At least that is how the "Zugangserschwerungsgesetz" in Germany works and I think SOPA
will be similar in this respect, but I might be wrong..
No, that's how the Zugangserschwerungsgesetz (access hindrance law) was supposed to work. But it didn't pass and the governemt abandoned it after a public debate.
Edit: ok, it turns out I'm misinformed. The law passed somehow after it was already dead, so it was never applied.
Germany was lucky that somehow it was achieved to make this law subject of public debate. Maybe Americans should copy the strategies that were used by German activists back in 2008 :) But on the other hand, I think that it would be a lot more difficult to achieve this in the American media environment. America's media was asleep when the Bush administration decided to invade Iraq, it will also be asleep this time.
I don't think American media are asleep on the subject of SOPA. I think they're awake and on the other side. It just so happens that not discussing SOPA is probably the best thing they can do for it right now.
It did pass indeed and was signed on February 2010, so it was valid law until it's revocation on 1 December 2011. Additionally all of the larger ISPs implemented the necessary technical infrastructure. It is true that the law was never applied, but still it was valid law.
The media was wide awake during the Iraq war-mongering. They were the primary supporters of the war. War is good for business. They are war-profiteers.
Edit: ok, it turns out I'm misinformed. The law passed somehow after it was already dead, so it was never applied.
Germany was lucky that somehow it was achieved to make this law subject of public debate. Maybe Americans should copy the strategies that were used by German activists back in 2008 :) But on the other hand, I think that it would be a lot more difficult to achieve this in the American media environment. America's media was asleep when the Bush administration decided to invade Iraq, it will also be asleep this time.