by Zack Beauchamp
Brian Fung sees the SOPA debate and Komen backlash as evidence that Internet activisim is moving beyond hacking:
[H]acktivism is being replaced as a form of 21st-century protest. In its place is emerging a more evolved form of digital politics related to — but distinct from — the online manifestations of Occupy and the Arab Spring. The new digital activism draws from the Web's best traditions: transparency, network effects and an opt-in mentality — and is proving surprisingly effective. A week after Reddit administrators announced what would become the world's biggest virtual protest, SOPA and PIPA were both postponed indefinitely in Congress. It took just three days for Komen to buckle under public pressure last week. How long the next virtual protest will last is anyone's guess, but to measure it in hours wouldn't be a bad bet.
The Dish 