He’s bent the ear of world leaders on social causes. He’s a Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He’s a rock star. But could the lead singer of U2 also become a front man for a grass-roots campaign seeking to change how the music industry does business?
The Free Software Foundation hopes so.
The Boston-based advocacy group launched an online petition Thursday asking Bono to take a stand with them against copy-protection technologies that they say unnecessarily restrict consumers’ rights to freely use the music and art they’ve purchased.
Digital rights management technology is commonly used by companies such as Apple Computer Inc. or Microsoft Corp. to support the companies’ own business strategies and satisfy the music industry’s concerns about unfettered distribution of songs over the Internet.
Related
- Microsoft CD copy protection advances
- Copy Protection Is a Crime
- Copyright Office Upholds Copy-Protection Law
- Senator wants limits on copy protection
- EMI reviewing CD content protection technology
