However, there is an issue which I believe is being overlooked here, and that is that the internet is an INTERNATIONAL resource. Content on the internet comes from all corners or the globe, and overseas the issue that most people have with SOPA is that it allows the US government to play enforcer on a global platform!
When one considers international law, whether material infringes on copyright becomes much less clear. The definition of 'fair use' is really only codified in the American legal system, with infringements determined on a case by case basis in most EU countries. What about content created internationally? In the current US system certain protections kick in to any created work, meaning that a work distributed freely overseas may become infringing if distributed in the US. Should content be censored in this case? This is without even considering the myriad of different cultural issues which come into play. Should Lese-Majesty cases be considered here? Should libel and slander be considered here?
To allow the body to be internationally representative, then it must be powerless, as no system could possibly encapsulate the laws of all sovereign nations. If it is to be effective, it must choose the laws of one nation over another, in this case, probably the US.
I end with this final plea, to both the implementers of the SOPA legislation, and to the author: If you must implement legislation like this, keep it TO YOURSELVES. The US does not represent all countries using the internet, and certainly does not represent the laws of all countries on the internet.