Bono net policing idea draws fire

[Bandito]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47028000/jpg/_47028022_tv008396501.jpg

Bono, frontman of rock band U2, has warned the film industry not to make the same mistakes with file-sharing that have dogged the music industry.
Writing for the New York Times, Bono claimed internet service providers were "reverse Robin Hoods" benefiting from the music industry's lost profits.
He hinted that China's efforts prove that tracking net content is possible.
The editorial drew sharp criticism, both on its economic merits and for the suggestion of net content policing.
"The immutable laws of bandwidth tell us we're just a few years away from being able to download an entire season of '24' in 24 seconds," he wrote.
"A decade's worth of music file-sharing and swiping has made clear that the people it hurts are the creators...the people this reverse Robin Hooding benefits are rich service providers, whose swollen profits perfectly mirror the lost receipts of the music business."
In a move that drew significant criticism, Bono went on to suggest that the feasibility of tracking down file-sharers had already been proven.
"We know from America's noble effort to stop child pornography, not to mention China's ignoble effort to suppress online dissent, that it's perfectly possible to track content," he said.
Several commentators assailed both the logic of net monitoring and the economic arguments of the essay, pointing out that U2 topped 2009's list of top-grossing live acts.
"Bono has missed that even a totalitarian government...can't effectively control net-content," tweeted Cory Doctorow, a blogger and journalist noted for his study of file-sharing policy.
"If only greed and ignorance could sequester carbon, Bono could FINALLY save the planet," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8439200.stm

Greedy worthless motherfucker.:cursing:

[Guerrilla22]

Yep, there isn't much you can say. Bono is another greedy artist crying about downloads on the internet. He is already a millionaire and the companies producing music are raking in billions annually so I don't think I'll be shedding a tear for Bono nor will I for the recording and film industries. In fact I think I'll go dowload a bunch of U2 albums free of charge after reading that as a way of giving Bono a proverbial middle finger.

[More Fire for the People]

I fucking hate Bono. If musicians were really savvy, they'd start advertising concerts on torrent sites.

[Bandito]

Anti-poverty activist who doesn't want the poor to listen to his music.

[BobKKKindle$]

Anti-poverty activist who doesn't want the poor to listen to his music.

To be fair, in light of what his music is like, this might be an act of mercy.

[Kropotkin85]

Ironically, the management of U2 has moved to Amsterdam to avoid taxes in Ireland...

[Sasha]

Ironically, the management of U2 has moved to Amsterdam to avoid taxes in Ireland...

wasnt it the same with most of the artist on earthaid/liveaid.
i believe that only the taxevasion of paul mccarthy was already more than the debt of some african countrys

[bricolage]

Make Bono History.

[Woyzeck]

Ironically, the management of U2 has moved to Amsterdam to avoid taxes in Ireland...

"Tax dodging midget"...as someone wrote over Bono's head on a U2 billboard poster in Dublin recently. The man is vile.

[IrishWorker]

"Tax dodging midget"...as someone wrote over Bono's head on a U2 billboard poster in Dublin recently. The man is vile.
The Irish left should have a organized campaign against Bono and the rest of the Irish ruling class millionaire “elite” these people seem to get a free run of it in the media fat cat slobs supporting Benefit cuts for the most vulnerable cuts to the HSE and implementing the 56Billion NAMA bailout for the wealthy developers whilst never getting any real world flack.

Bono the capitalist scumbag has a personal wealth of 100million euro and he is crying about file sharing this is typical, pity the INLA and the IRA weren’t killing scum like Bono for 30 years as we would be living in a far better Ireland today if they had.

[Woyzeck]

Pity the INLA and the IRA weren’t killing scum like Bono for 30 years as we would be living in a far better Ireland today if they had.

Easy tiger. :lol:

[ZeroNowhere]

If you download, they can't make more albums!

In the case of U2, I think that actually serves as an argument for downloading free music being legal.

[Axle]

Its like 2000 all over again, except instead of Napster, we have torrents, and instead of Lars Ulrich, we have Bono.

I honestly didn't think I could have less respect for Bono.

[Dimentio]

Bono is the court poet of the elite, through aid galas showing their mercy and benevolence to the world. He is a personal friend of George W Bush too, isn't he?

[punisa]

incredible how many artists become money hungry jerks.
Nobody is immune.
I sincerely believe that Bono had a few noble ideas, but that was back in 1979. Today he is just a piece of trash like all the rest of them.

If I ever become a world famous musician (not bloody likely :laugh:) I'll be a greedy jerk just like Bono. I'll dance around for the stupid kids and do whatever my managers tell me, just to acquire an enormous heap of money.
By doing so nobody will even suspect that I'm actually a red infiltrator :che:.
And then - boom ! I'll give away all of my millions to communist/anarchist organizations all over the world :thumbup1:

[Das war einmal]

Bono is a real fake prophet. U2 also moved their HQ to Holland to avoid taxes. Fucking hypocrite. I really hate that dick

[Sendo]

i would love to see all music become freely available and superstars disappear.

Music should be more open to all people who get famous on merits of their music alone. Make it ALL FREELY AVAILABLE and either pay musicians the same way artists have patronage (from the state or millionaires) or contract jobs...OR have them get by on performance alone.

Fame should be independent of wealth. No more over-produced shlock. Just put out your creative content and be satisfied people like it

If you want money, get off your ass and play a gig.

If you want to be a millionaire and that's your reason for recording, fuck off.

[bcbm]

i think its funny he bases his argument on how much downloading hurts artists, when in fact the internet and music downloads have vastly democratized the music industry and allowed unknown artists with no major label backing to become fairly popular and make decent money off the thing that most artists make their money off of anyway- touring.

[The Red Next Door]

This should be the least of our worries, Two wars ( another wave mentally fuck up handicap people who want to off themselves at the guilty of want they did) people living in poverty, and a system that want to keep the working class down.

[The Red Next Door]

Bono is a real fake prophet. U2 also moved their HQ to Holland to avoid taxes. Fucking hypocrite. I really hate that dick
really wow, a perfect example of left wing hypocrisy.

[Wanted Man]

Bono, the self-declared ambassador of rock 'n roll to the world. Except that rock never asked for an ambassador. Fuck Bono.

[Woyzeck]

Bono, the self-declared ambassador of rock 'n roll to the world. Except that rock never asked for an ambassador. Fuck Bono.

Not to mention the fact that the chap is about as 'rock 'n' roll' as Kenny Rogers.

[Kayser_Soso]

Everybody has pretty much already said everything I want to say about Bono. So I'm just going to hop aboard the Fuck Bono Express with the rest of you guys. Angelina Jolie actually does more for poor people than his dumb ass anyway.

[Bandito]

May be so, but they are actually the ones keeping the bourgeoisie in position of power over the oppressed masses.

[Kayser_Soso]

May be so, but they are actually the ones keeping the bourgeoisie in position of power over the oppressed masses.

I totally agree. They help bolster this idea that as long as there are rich people with a conscious(extremely rare), and celebrities building "awareness", all our problems can somehow be solved.

[Delenda Carthago]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to1D0XiZzBU

specially dedicated to Bono.

[brigadista]

Bono is the court poet of the elite, through aid galas showing their mercy and benevolence to the world. He is a personal friend of George W Bush too, isn't he?

make that court jester

[Das war einmal]

to1D0XiZzBU

specially dedicated to Bono.


I dont really like Korn but I'll have to say this music video is great.

Another good dis at the music industry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdMI42FSGgw

[Das war einmal]

I am thinking of printing a t-shirt with the face of Bono on it and underneath the words 'scheiss messiah'