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Tue, 29 Jan 2008 U2 manager slams 'hippies' and 'deadheads'

U2 manager slams tech companies and ISPs for failure to act on file-sharing

Jonny Evans

U2 manager Paul McGuinness has added his voice to demands that ISPs police their networks and ban users from file-sharing.

Speaking last night at key European music industry event, Midem, the veteran rock 'n' roll manager accused the "hippies" and "deadheads" running technology companies of having had "a completely free ride on our client's content," complaining they have been able to build their industries on he backs of demand for that content.

"We all know kids don’t pay $25 a month for broadband just to share their photos and do homework," he said. "Their snouts have been feeding at our trough for free for too long," he added.

McGuinness' statements echo those of music industry body, the IFPI, which seems now to be moving away from the promotion of legal action against individual file-sharers in favour of an attempt to force ISPs to police traffic on their networks.

France is working toward a legal framework that promotes such a policy, one in which internet users caught engaging in file-sharing three times would be kicked off the internet by their ISP.

McGuinness said: "It's time for a new approach - it's time for ISPs to start taking responsibility for the content they've profited from for years."

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