Wikipedia will black out its Web site Wednesday to protest SOPA, the of anti-piracy legislation that’s being considered by Congress.

Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales made the announcement on Twitter on Monday, saying the site would shut down English versions of the crowd-sourced online encyclopedia at midnight Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday until midnight Wednesday.

Wales called the move a “community decision.” He pointed to a page that was created to gauge support for a possible blackout. Users have until 6:59 p.m. Tuesday to weigh in on the decision.

Wales and other SOPA opponents hope to draw attention to language in SOPA that, according to some, is too broad and could hurt free speech and innovation.



Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales. (AP)

The online protests are changing the debate.

Over the weekend, the White House hinted that it would oppose the current version of the bill. And key sponsors are stepping away from its most controversial aspects.

If Wikipedia blacks out as promised, Wales expects an estimated 25 million daily visitors to be affected. His advice for students who might rely on the site: “Do your homework early.”



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