U2's Manager Calls For Mandatory Disconnects For Music Downloaders

sleeplesseye writes "In a speech at the Midem music industry convention in Cannes, Paul McGuinness, longtime manager of the band U2, has called on Internet service providers to immediately introduce mandatory French-style service disconnections to end music downloading, and has urged governments to force ISPs to adopt such policies. McGuinness criticized Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' pay-what-you-want business model, saying that 'the majority of downloads were through illegal P2P download services like BitTorrent and LimeWire'. He also accused ISPs, telcos, device makers, and numerous specifically named companies such as Apple, Google, Yahoo!, Oracle, and Facebook of building 'multi billion dollar industries on the back of our content without paying for it', and of being 'makers of burglary kits' who have made 'a thieves' charter' to steal money from the music industry. The full text of his speech has been posted on U2's website."

Comments

Yeah..right....

[ufpdom]

And in a 4Q Earnings reports, ABC ISP has reported lower earnings because of this great idea to do manditory disconnects. Because of this ABC ISP has lost 200,000 subscribers. Als in a 4Q Earnigns reports, XYZ ISP has reported an increase in subscriber base. Like the ISP's are gonna let this fly. American greed, bottom line, $$. To France: Go crawl back in that hole you came from so we can rescue you in 100 years.

Re:What a crock

[MrMickS]

Not to mention the fact that downloading is not stealing, illegal or not. No one is deprived of their property through a download as has been pointed out many times before Weasel words. This is hiding behind a technicality and is only smart if you're immature or a lawyer. Its theft whatever the exact legal definition. The alternative to downloading illegally is to purchase by chosing to do this you deprive the nominal owner of a sale. There is no moral difference to lifting a CD from a record store.