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The Business Software Alliance, which counts Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, Intel, Dell, Symantec and 23 other tech companies among its members, originally supported the proposed bill, which would require Internet companies and other tech providers to deny services to suspected software pirates and copyright violators. But now BSA believes the SOPA legislation, intended to curtail intellectual property theft, is well intended but too broad.

"As it now stands... it could sweep in more than just truly egregious actors," said BSA president and CEO Robert Holleyman in a blog post. "To fix this problem, the definitions of who can be the subject of legal actions and what remedies are imposed must be tightened and narrowed."

Holleyman, though, says he still believes in SOPA, and says it can be amended to stop piracy without harming legitimate companies. The BSA is ready to work with federal authorities to iron out the issues with the bill.

The BSA is the latest organization to speak out against the bill, which has not yet been introduced for a vote in Congress and is already surrounded by sharp debate on both sides.

Critics, including Google, claim the bill amounts to Internet censorship, while sponsors say it's meant to prevent intellectual property theft and to clamp down on foreign websites that steal content from American producers. SOPA's provisions also target foreign websites that make copyrighted material such as movies or music available to U.S. audiences, and allow the government to block such sites.

Google chairman Eric Schmidt acknowledged piracy is a concern and made it clear his company does not support it, but also calls the bill "draconian," joining other opponents who use words like "blacklisting" and "censorship" to describe it.

The entertainment industry, though, says the bill is necessary because piracy is ruining the industry's revenue stream and infringing on its copyrights.

The bill also takes aim at online stores that sell drugs to people who don't have a prescription and requires the federal government to appoint intellectual property staff to all embassies in foreign companies.

The bill will need the support of the Internet community to succeed, and if the government can't assure legitimate companies that their operations won't be blocked, SOPA likely will face protests and legal appeals.