Manager of World's Biggest Rock Band Calls Out ISPs on Piracy

Posted by Eriq Gardner

It looks like U2 manager Paul McGuinness has been listening to those who argue that ISPs should step up and do more to crack down on piracy.

In a keynote speech delivered this week at the International Managers Summit at Midem, McGuinness said, "I call on ISPs to do two things. First, protect the music, and second, to make a genuine effort to share the enormous revenues. They should share their ingenuity as well as the money. We must shame them. Their snouts have been at our trough for too long."

McGuinness says that ISPs "say they can't do anything about" piracy. Well, that's not exactly true. Companies like Comcast and AT&T are already moving in this direction.

As far as a slice of ISP revenue, the manager of the world's biggest rock band shouldn't expect much. The chances of that ever happening are about as good as Bono being replaced as U2 lead singer by Sammy Hagar. And let's hope that U2's popularity doesn't get hit the way Metallica's did after drummer Lars Ulrich complained about the Napster phenomenon.