French government attempts to stop Internet users downloading music and movies ratcheted up a notch Wednesday when Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy blasted the widespread practice as “theft”.
His blunt appraisal, made after a meeting with several well-known French singers and musicians, came as the parliament debated a government bill that would punish anybody who broke copyright on digital works available on the Internet, CDs and DVDs.
Debate on the bill began in December 2005 but was abruptly halted when a rebellious group of ruling party and opposition MPs voted amendments that would legalise downloads, to the shock of the government, which withdrew the text.
Whoopee