Why is Wikipedia Gone?

Well, not really gone, like forever, just for the meantime. But, why, you ask? It's because of the protest against the SOPA and PIPA.

Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)
The bill, if made law, would expand the ability of U.S. law enforcement andcopyright holders to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods.

PROTECT IP Act (PIPA)
A proposed law with the stated goal of giving the US government and copyright holders additional tools to curb access to "rogue websites dedicated to infringing or counterfeit goods", especially those registered outside the U.S.

You can read more on the two bills here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act) and here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PROTECT_IP_Act). They're not blacked out, unlike the rest of Wikipedia, by the way, so go ahead.

Okay, so they are bills made to control the widespread of piracy online. What could be so bad about that? I haven't read the actual text but http://theoatmeal.com made a really informative animated GIF which can help you easily understand what they are.

From: http://theoatmeal.com

Before everything else, I think it is important to get more informed. It's a pretty important and popular topic, so I don't think you'll have a hard time Googling about it. Nothing's more embarrassing and stupid than reacting to something you know nothing about.

Do it for the kittens! Do it for the love!