Dutch EU commissioner Neelie Kroes, who is in charge of Europe’s digital agenda, said on Friday a proposed US law to combat internet piracy is ‘bad legislation’.

‘My view is that internet regulation must be effective, proportionate and preserve benefits of open net,’ Kroes said in answer to questions using the microblogging service Twitter.
Later Kroes tweeted: ‘Glad tide is turning on Sopa: don’t need bad legislation when should be safeguarding benefits of open net… Speeding is illegal too: but you don’t put speed bumps on the motorway.’
Online piracy
The Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) bill is currently being considered by the House of Representatives.
According to the BBC, the proposed legislation is designed to tackle online piracy and says anyone found guilty of streaming copyrighted content without permission 10 or more times within six months should face up to five years in jail.
US-based internet service providers, payment processors and advertisers would be outlawed from doing business with alleged copyright infringers.
Kroes’ comments follow an FBI-led swoop on the filesharing website Megaupload.com, which led to four arrests in New Zealand on Thursday. A Dutch national is among those being held.