Reddit is shaping up to be ground zero for the SOPA backlash! After forcing Paul Ryan to come out against SOPA, Reddit is forfeiting ad revenue and risking a massive user backlash with a bold pledge to black out the entire site on Wednesday, Jan. 18 and replace it with a “simple message about how the PIPA/SOPA legislation would shut down sites like reddit.” Tumblr pulled a similar move back in November. What will the world do without Reddit? ”This is Digg’s big chance for a comeback!” Silicon Valley veteran and Laughing Squid founder Scott Beale joshed over Skype.

Adrianne Jeffries is the editor of Betabeat. Follow Adrianne on Twitter or via RSS. ajeffries@observer.com