Sony And Nintendo Drop SOPA Support Amid Anonymous Threats

Sony and Nintendo have dropped support for the controversial SOPA bill, backtracking on what has been accused as a pro-censorship push by legislators amid threats of internet attack from groups like Anonymous. Both companies are now absent from the official list of supporters [pdf link] of the Stop Online Piracy Act, along with games publisher Electronic Arts, though it's unclear how much of the decision – by Sony Computer Entertainment, at least – was swayed by Anonymous' threats to target first the PlayStation Network and then individual executives at the firm.

Originally, threats against the PSN were made by Anonymous members as part of #OpSony, with the warning that Sony's "support of the act is a signed death warrant" and that "yet again, we have decided to destroy your network." That was later amended to single out Sony executives, PlayStationLifestyle reports, rather than the PSN itself, with Anonymous declaring open season on the credit card details and other personal information.

Sony is yet to comment on the Anonymous issue, but it's worth noting that, while SCE has withdrawn its SOPA support, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Nashville are all still listed as in favor of the act. Meanwhile both SCE and Nintendo are members of the Entertainment Software Association, which also remains a supporter.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Google, eBay, PayPal and others were considering an attention-grabbing blackout of their respective sites in the hope of prompting a mass uprising of public complaint about SOPA. The move would follow a similar "call to arms" by microblogging platform Tumblr, which motivated almost 90,000 users to contact their Representatives to discuss the act.

Original Anonymous #OpSony Threat Video:

[via CVG]