Trust me ISP's aint to blame for this so called illegal downloading, it's almost impossible to STOP or POLICE

Blocking traffic to P2P software like bittorrent and Limeware ETC won't help, as it's still possible to download music without anyone knowing

The only way it can be reduced is by stopping the ring leaders organised gangs that somehow get their hands on the latest albums b4 release date

It gets better. He wants countries to follow the lead of China's totalitarian monitoring of Internet usage and track what everyone is doing with their Internet connection, and demand that the ISPs pass on their profits to the musicians.

Silencing dissidents just to protect his bottom line. Dangerous thinking.

bono's so full of crap.

if he care's so much about the smaller musician out there, he wouldn't have moved the U2 business to the netherlands just so he wouldn't have to pay the irish government the extra tax money they were looking for.. god knows the country needs it right now.. and i'm sure they could have funneled U2 tax money into arts projects to help young musicians... such hypocrisy

Well the internet monitoring in china didnt go down to well, it was easily bypassed.

No country has the infrastructure in place right-now to police the net

ISPs ultimately are to blame, as they're the conduit for the illegally uploaded material. ISPs don't want to do anything about it, as they make more money the more people download.

And what a load of bollocks regarding the "ring leaders organised gangs"...you've been reading too many crime novels, mate. Leaks usually emanate from advance promos sent out months ahead of the release date...there is no need for the industry to do this anymore. If they sent out promos/serviced radio with the track and released on the same day, this would help to solve the problem (not that there'll ever be a complete solution to piracy).

Bono is a cock, but he's making valid points for once on this matter.

What also makes me laugh is that you seem to think that your internet connection isn't tracked? It already is.

The likes of Bono are actually the ones least affected by music piracy. He's made his millions and doesn't need to speak out about this. The fact that he does is a good thing.

With the forthcoming change in TCP/IP protocol, I guarantee that the internet will be a very different beast in a few years, making life somewhat harder for the freeloaders.

CRM is right that we are already tracked and the information stored (probably semi-permanently), but with the volume of traffic I don't think ISP's can actually police this anyway.

People will always download stuff for free if they think they can get away with it. And why not?

Right holders and corporate shills like Bono will always complain. And they should. All of this will have no effect.

Kill off Pirate Bay, people move to Mininova. Kill off Mininova, people move to Isohunt. And so on. Whatever new thing to combat this, there will be a new way to get around it. Same as it ever was.

Illegally downloading doesn't just affect albums before sale. Just becausean album is available doesn't affect some people some people downloading them illegally rather than paying for them.

ISP'S are not to blame its people like me and the millions of other downloaders that are the problem. Isp's are not forcing me to illegally download. The trouble is we have had more then 10 years of free easy music and its hard to change peoples mind to go back to paying. Kids have grown up with free music. The muisc industry should have done more 10 years ago. Next up is movies now that speeds are getting faster and the movie industry is very slow to stop it just like music industry was.

My kids have grown up thinking that all music is free, so I doubt that they will ever feel the need to pay for it. At the other end of the scale I have an uncle in his late sixtys who is more than happy to download albums for free and burn them for all his friends too, he doesn't seem to understand what he is doing is illegal, he thinks he is just doing his mates a favour

There really seems to be no way of stopping it, for every album sold, I dread to think how many are stolen. It's attitudes that need to change before we have no music industry left at all. No one wants to work for free

Is he in need of cash?
No, to be honest, he is missing the whole point as he always does.

First of all, this is statement is just going to make music fans turn against him even more, second, he should work with the fans - not against them.
I agree that music shouldn't be for free, but I also disagree that it should cost wht it cost today with the poor quality we are given.

I'd also like to see the end of ticket scalping and those ridiculous fantasty prices artists demand just to appear to sing something.

He should open the discussion but work for a solution, not play God and set the rules.

I think he should get back to the music , or, quit the band and go into to politics because doing both is clearly messing up his head.

I think he has a point about illegal file-sharing hurting ‘creators first’. This rings true across the creative industries.

I work with the Industry Trust, an organisation which addresses the issue of copyright theft for the film and television industry. Our industry employs over 150,000 people in the UK alone, from wardrobe artists and script supervisors to boom operators and sound engineers. These people rely on film and TV revenue for their wages and job security, and the nearly £500m lost each year to copyright theft has a very real impact on them.
Thanks
Felicity

It's true. ISPs are responsible for it, just like pubs are responsible for drink driving and housing agencies are responsible for burglary.

Of course, there's lots ISPs can do to prevent file sharing but it'll always be around because as soon as one thing is blocked it forces people to seek alternative methods.

By that same logic, they should be suing any manufacturer of CD-R, DVD-R, BR-R, CD, DVD and BluRay Burners. Any manufacturer that supports MP3, DIVX etc...

My God, the first honest freeloader I've read posting ever!

People don't have to download illegally. But it's very, very easy to do. If we could all nip into Sainsbury's and nick our shopping without getting caught or no enforcement of the law, we would.

Many mates of mine are musicians/engineers/producers - they're all feeling the pinch. People forget that the music industry recession kicked in about 2000 with the rise of illegal music acquisition via the net.

What really makes me mad is the way that people justify downloading illegally. Having a go at the music industry does not justify your actions!

The internet will be more regulated whether you like or not. Too many technology companies have had a field day with disregarding basic copyright and, now that Hollywood's very existence is being threatened by copyright infringement, be prepared for a change. The upcoming change in TCP/IP protocol (as I've mentioned) will makes things much harder for offenders.

Not quite the same thing, and you know it.

I think Canada charge a tax on cdrs for this very purpose, and this is probably what they will eventually do here (charge a surcharge to the ISPs).

I just don't think any one industry (Hollywood etc) should pass their problems on to another, when it's not their fault.

Out of interest, what is this TCP/IP change that you speak of?

Hmm..

Migrating to IPv6, which in the UK will be not for another 6 years possibly. It would not make a difference

China migrated to IPv6 years before us

The only real way is to target these organised gangs that are actually invloved in Ripping (copying) mediums by breaking copy protection in games/software/music/movies

It will make a difference.

All these organised gang crap re music...you really are mad. I've told you where most pre-release leaks come from.

Bono is so full of sh*t that there's not even any point in arguing against his crap anymore. This is the same chump who paid to have a bloody hat flown overseas.

Yeah, i don't really think gangs are anything to do with the online side of piracy. It's much more likely to be the 15 year old kid in his bedroom that's uploaded the latest album to a torrent site for kicks.

Google the legendary "aXXo" for an example of online pirates.

Bono maybe I'd buy an album by you if it wasnt total garbage. When was the last time U2 actually made relevant, innovative music?

Their last album this March? Or am I to believe you sat down, gave it a fair chance and listened to all 11 tracks 2-3 times to make a valid judgement?

Nah, course not, Bono's that **** who flew some hat overseas remember?

Here is Bono's op-ed in the New York Times:


There is nothing written above to suggest he is solely blaming ISPs for illegal file sharing (we are all responsible for the anticipated consequences of our own actions, as Bono knows well). He appears to be repeating the argument that, by refusing to cooperate and help protect the recorded music industry, ISPs stand to profit from the situation.

I respect Chinese dissidents who risk their lives fighting for a better, more democratic way of life. Illegal file sharers do not command the same respect.


If you download and listen to somebody's music without paying for it, against the wishes of a particular artist, then I prefer to call you a pirate, not a fan.


Yes! Illegal file sharers are quick to criticise record labels for screwing over artists by not cutting them a more equitable deal. But how is downloading their music for free helping the situation? Yelling "F**k the RIAA" is an empty gesture in most cases--a diversionary tactic intended to conceal their own wrongdoing.