BSA cracks down on auction pirates

BSA cracks down on auction pirates
The Business Software Alliance (BSA), which represents and protects the copyrights of many of the major software companies, has halted five alleged software pirates who it claims were distributing counterfeit versions of its members' software on internet auction sites. The move was said to be the start of an international crackdown on unlicensed software sales online.

"To all offenders out there, large or small, our message remains the same: software piracy is illegal and we will be bringing legal actions against internet pirates to tackle this serious problem" said John Wolfe, director of internet enforcement for the BSA. "The international litigation announced today is just the beginning of our expanded efforts to fight global software piracy."



One of the sellers is based in the US, one is from Austria, with two coming from Germany. The fifth person, who is UK-based, is suspected to have played a role in the running of a website selling illegal copies of expensive design and architecture software product Autodesk. Microsoft, Adobe, McAfee and Symantec are other companies said to have had their software pirated by the alleged offenders.

Information provided by research firm IDC suggest consumers could be putting their computers at risk when purchasing software online from sources other than the original publisher. Their studies show that a quarter of such software contained additional or malicious code.

"Along with the explosive growth of internet use and online shopping, there is an increase in consumers' exposure to illegal software," explained Peter Beruk, director of anti-piracy and compliance programmes for McAfee and chair of the BSA's internet committee. "At BSA, our goal is to educate the public about how they can protect itself from fraud and to enforce compliance with copyright laws."

Source:
Out-Law News


Written by: Ben Reid @ 16 Mar 2007 11:17
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  • 10 comments
  • spiesfan

    sure and the last few times they did this it worked perfectly NOT

    16.3.2007 11:34 #1

  • klassic

    I think its great that they are cracking down on these software pirates.

    First of all people are paying for software with malicious code. We get enough of that for free while browsing the internet.

    Second, if you are gonna pirate software then you shouldn't charge for it. I wouldn't buy pirated software. You can pirated software for free, and thats the way it should be.

    16.3.2007 12:01 #2

  • webe123

    I think the people they SHOULD go for, are those actually making a profit off of copyrighted works! I don't blame them at all for that. p2p does not have any money change hands, but pirates that sell bootlegs of CD and DVD products make a killing off of something they did not even create!

    17.3.2007 00:30 #3

  • lawndog

    now only if the MPAA would follow the same traits. No instead they go after P2P people. The goons here are selling stuff the p2p users are doing for free. Tell you what, if CAD (Autdesk)(a program I like) wasn't $500.00 + dollars I may buy it. Maybe if it was $50.00+/-.
    The fact of the matter these people are making money off of pirated material, while p2p people use it for personal use. I bet most p2p need the money, and would love to make money off it, but they don't. Besides that, most of the people I have talked to......since p2p has started have bought more cds, because they can test the song or cd before they buy it. ok I'm sorry I'm getting off topic.
    Just glad to see them going after people making money of others work instead of people doing it for personal use.
    LD

    17.3.2007 04:24 #4

  • ZippyDSM

    I am surprised the media mafia dosent go after ebay....

    17.3.2007 07:23 #5

  • mojomoon

    No insult intended but what do you think most P2P movies are downloaded for if notfor sale on the internet? Of course they get sold en masse! Anyone remember Star Wars Episode III?

    Peace & Prosperity,
    ~*MoJo*~

    20.3.2007 20:10 #6

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by mojomoon:No insult intended but what do you think most P2P movies are downloaded for if notfor sale on the internet? Of course they get sold en masse! Anyone remember Star Wars Episode III?

    Peace & Prosperity,
    ~*MoJo*~
    then the salers should go to jail but not the sharers down loaders :P

    21.3.2007 02:00 #7

  • mojomoon

    lolol! Poor spelling aside, thats not just rediculously hypocritical but also just plain unrealistic. lolol! It's a black and white world. Either it's wrong or it's not(to download copyrighted material regardless of what you plan on doing with it.) You can't have your cake and eat it too. Choose a side one way or the other but fence sitters are just plain silly with their self-serving rationalizations. lololol!

    Peace & Prosperity,
    ~*MoJo*~

    Peace,
    ~*Jo*~

    21.3.2007 08:32 #8

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by mojomoon:lolol! Poor spelling aside, thats not just rediculously hypocritical but also just plain unrealistic. lolol! It's a black and white world. Either it's wrong or it's not(to download copyrighted material regardless of what you plan on doing with it.) You can't have your cake and eat it too. Choose a side one way or the other but fence sitters are just plain silly with their self-serving rationalizations. lololol!

    Peace & Prosperity,
    ~*MoJo*~
    Then everything is copy righted and can not be discussed for fear of repercussions by the IP/CP holders not to long ago you could sue a site for dissing a brand,when it comes to making am profit off IP/CP I a angist it unless you own it data should be free so that all are empowered by it if you want to buy it buy it if not so be it,free is not always easy.



    FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.

    21.3.2007 08:37 #9

  • RNR1995

    If on a jury I would NEVER convict a downloader of anything
    But people that STEAL other peoples works for profit are criminals!
    People who but that crap off the street should also be arrested for being a dumb ass!

    22.3.2007 12:52 #10

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