( CNN ) -- Something remarkable is happening Wednesday . A large swath of the Internet is blacking out in protest of two controversial copyright bills being considered in Congress . Major Web juggernauts such as Google and Wikipedia , some graduate schools and a number of start-ups and prominent advocates are participating in what is expected to be the largest organized online protests in more than a decade . While the actions vary from site to site -- some are shutting down , some are turning their pages black -- the message is clear : Neither the Senate 's Protect IP Act nor the House 's Stop Online Piracy Act represents a consensus view on how to address online piracy without undermining the open Internet , and neither should be rushed to a vote . The bills propose new enforcement tactics to be carried out by Internet intermediaries -- Internet service providers , search engines , payment processors and ad networks -- against foreign websites that flagrantly infringe U.S. intellectual property rights . This is a laudable goal , but some of the proposed measures would do more harm than good , and there is significant risk that the bills as they currently stand could infringe on First Amendment rights . The online backlash against the legislation , which began with the introduction in October of the House bill , known as SOPA , is already having a meaningful impact . Large social media sites and online communities have spread the word , and thousands of Internet users have kept up a steady stream of calls and tweets at their senators and representatives . Under intense pressure from their constituents , Sen. Pat Leahy and Rep. Lamar Smith , the bills ' principal sponsors , issued separate statements last week indicating that they would revise the bills to remove requirements that ISPs attempt to block access to websites using the domain-name system , or DNS . In addition , a group of six Republicans -- including co-sponsors of the legislation -- sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid urging him not to proceed to a vote on the Protect IP Act , or PIPA , citing the public outcry as well as their own concerns . And on Saturday , the White House issued a formal response to two petitions that had each received more than 50,000 signatures . The Obama administration said it would oppose legislation that risks online censorship of lawful activity , inhibits innovation or creates new cybersecurity risks -- all charges that have been levied against PIPA and SOPA . It also criticized mandated DNS-filtering on cybersecurity grounds , offered some guiding principles and called for continued discussion between proponents , opponents and the public on how best to proceed . However , the Senate remains scheduled to try to break a filibuster against PIPA next week . If that vote succeeds , the Senate will move to an up-or-down vote on a bill -- currently being revised -- that no one has seen . If the DNS-filtering provision is indeed removed , it will be a major improvement , but this is not PIPA 's only problem . Countless technologists and advocates still question whether the remaining enforcement tactics meet the balanced , sensible criteria laid out by the White House . There is still room for debate and a path forward on anti-piracy legislation . Some of PIPA and SOPA 's biggest opponents have expressed support for an approach that would `` follow the money '' by requiring carefully targeted action by payment processors and ad networks to stem the flow of revenue to websites that make a business of infringement . But despite rumored changes , PIPA is not yet that bill . Reid should delay next week 's Senate vote to give the bill a real chance of developing into something all sides can agree on . Editor 's note : Time Warner , the parent company of CNN , is among the industry supporters of the legislation . Join CNN Opinion on Facebook and follow updates on Twitter . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Andrew McDiarmid .
Some websites are blacking out in protest of McDiarmid controversial copyright bills in SOPA . Harry Reid : Stop Online Piracy Act and McDiarmid would undermine open Internet . Online backlash against the bills are forcing supporters to back down , McDiarmid says . two : Voting on the legislation should be delayed because it can be improved .