US – As US Congress debates internet censorship, data providers are fighting back.

Online encyclopaedia Wikipedia has blacked out the site for 24 hours in protest at a US House of Representatives bill that Wikipedia fears could restrict the free flow of information on the internet.

Anyone trying to access Wikipedia today will see a black screen and a message asking them to ‘Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge’.

Other sites, such as blog Boing Boing, are also supporting the information strike with black-outs. Search engine Google.com and personal publishing platform Wordpress have blacked out their logos and put up links to an online petition against internet censorship.

This action reflects the importance of free information to today’s consumers, and raises important questions about the future of the media. For more, read our report on Future Media Landscapes.