DETROIT – Their mission is to promote a safe and legal digital world. The Business Software Alliance is the self-proclaimed voice of the world’s commercial software industry and its hardware partners are here here to again warn us about the penalties for software piracy.
Not the guys with the eye patches and the peg legs, rather the illegal copying, distribution or use of software. BSA members includes the most famous software and technology nameplates, such as, Adobe Apple, Borland, Cisco, Dell, HP, IBM and Microsoft.
If you have been listening to the AM radio dial in the Detroit and surrounding metropolitan area, the BSA has logged dozens of hours of air time promoting a $200,000 reward to current employees or ex-employees who are aware of piracy of software within their companies and are willing to turn them in.
It is estimated that more than 30 percent of all software in use is pirated. Unlicensed software use can occur when one of your employees down loads unlicensed software from peer-to-peer systems, or more commonly, when a company’s IT department deploys new laptops and computers from disc images but fail to assure that they do not exceed the number of authorized copies that their license agreements permit.
An organization can be held liable for the use of unlicensed or improperly licensed software. If an action for infringement is sustained against your company, the company can be penalized up to $150,000 for each program infringed.
The Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group at Butzel Long can assist your company by providing an intellectual property and licensing audit. If you?d like more details, email Carol Romej, [email protected]
Carol Romej is a member of Butzel Long?s Property & Technology Group.
