Software Piracy Project 3: Social Injustice

What is Software Piracy? In comparison to literature, music, and movies, computer software is a new form of intellectual property. However the same laws govern computer software, and stealing this property is no different than stealing any other form of copyrighted content, and the punishment for doing so is the same.

In comparison to literature, music, and movies, computer software is a new form of intellectual property. However the same laws govern computer software, and stealing this property is no different than stealing any other form of copyrighted content, and the punishment for doing so is the same.

What is Software Piracy? A single individual can commit hundreds of acts of software piracy everyday. To the right are the top ten most infringed software in 2007. Source: Software & Information Industry Association Top Ten Infringed Software Titles in 2007 Symantec Norton Anti-Virus Adobe Acrobat Symantec PC Anywhere Adobe Photoshop AutoDesk AutoCAD Adobe Dreamweaver Roxio Easy CD/DvD Creator Roxio Toast Titanium Ipswitch WS_FTP Nero Ultra Edition

A single individual can commit hundreds of acts of software piracy everyday.

To the right are the top ten most infringed software in 2007.

Source: Software & Information Industry Association

Top Ten Infringed Software Titles in 2007

Symantec Norton Anti-Virus

Adobe Acrobat

Symantec PC Anywhere

Adobe Photoshop

AutoDesk AutoCAD

Adobe Dreamweaver

Roxio Easy CD/DvD Creator

Roxio Toast Titanium

Ipswitch WS_FTP

Nero Ultra Edition

What is Software Piracy? The means to steal this content is much easier than to steal most other products. As technology increases, with advances in internet systems and filesharing programs, the ease to access these copyrighted digital files is continuously easier, and the risk of getting caught is next to nothing (Moores, T. T., 2008 p. 39).

The means to steal this content is much easier than to steal most other products. As technology increases, with advances in internet systems and filesharing programs, the ease to access these copyrighted digital files is continuously easier, and the risk of getting caught is next to nothing (Moores, T. T., 2008 p. 39).

What is Software Piracy? Unfortunately, despite this reality, there are many people who engage in software piracy and whenever a piece of software that is unlicensed is used, it deprives software companies of their earnings. The thousands of hours of time that are spent working on programs by writers, programmers, design artists and others, goes uncompensated. Source: Software & Information Industry Association

Unfortunately, despite this reality, there are many people who engage in software piracy and whenever a piece of software that is unlicensed is used, it deprives software companies of their earnings. The thousands of hours of time that are spent working on programs by writers, programmers, design artists and others, goes uncompensated.

Source: Software & Information Industry Association

How Does Software Piracy Affect Me? The most obvious and direct impact would be if you partake in software piracy, you put yourself at risk to corrupt files intended to steal personal information or damage your computer .

The most obvious and direct impact would be if you partake in software piracy, you put yourself at risk to corrupt files intended to steal personal information or damage your computer .

How Does Software Piracy Affect Me? You are also at risk for being caught for your illegal activities by either being turned in by vigilante individuals or by investigations targeting a specific popular program.

You are also at risk for being caught for your illegal activities by either being turned in by vigilante individuals or by investigations targeting a specific popular program.

How Does Software Piracy Affect Me? Even if you do not partake in software piracy it has a direct impact on you because of the strain it puts on society. The global economy alone loses approximately 12 billion dollars a year on software piracy which doesn’t include other forms of stolen media such as movies and music (Moores, T. T., 2008 p. 39).

Even if you do not partake in software piracy it has a direct impact on you because of the strain it puts on society. The global economy alone loses approximately 12 billion dollars a year on software piracy which doesn’t include other forms of stolen media such as movies and music (Moores, T. T., 2008 p. 39).

How Does Software Piracy Affect Me? Naturally the repercussions of this dramatic financial loss would be a loss of jobs, increased prices on legal software, flourishing illegal copywriting organizations, uncompensated work by talented individuals. This further impacts you as 80 percent of the world’s software is produced in the U.S. (Source: Software & Information Industry Association) The issue brings the morals of society into question as this type of crime is being swept under the rug.

Naturally the repercussions of this dramatic financial loss would be a loss of jobs, increased prices on legal software, flourishing illegal copywriting organizations, uncompensated work by talented individuals.

This further impacts you as 80 percent of the world’s software is produced in the U.S.

(Source: Software & Information Industry Association)

The issue brings the morals of society into question as this type of crime is being swept under the rug.

How Can I Help? The first step of action would include educating yourself further about the issue. To do this there are numerous organizations out there dedicated to the issue of Software piracy including the BSA, SIIA, RIAA and many others including the corporations themselves such as Microsoft and Adobe.

The first step of action would include educating yourself further about the issue.

To do this there are numerous organizations out there dedicated to the issue of Software piracy including the BSA, SIIA, RIAA and many others including the corporations themselves such as Microsoft and Adobe.

How Can I Help? These coalitions and companies will gladly help in your education of software piracy as they all have atleast a section on their sites dedicated to it, some even have hotlines. They will inform you on how to pick out and diagnose illegal or unregistered software to keep yourself safe from its dangers.

These coalitions and companies will gladly help in your education of software piracy as they all have atleast a section on their sites dedicated to it, some even have hotlines.

They will inform you on how to pick out and diagnose illegal or unregistered software to keep yourself safe from its dangers.

How Can I Help? Another way to help, albeit it sounding cliché, is to raise awareness to others. Make sure your friends and family are not partaking in software piracy and if they are inform them of the risks to themselves and to society. Any reasonable individual can identify software piracy as theft if it is brought to their attention or explained to them in a logical manner.

Another way to help, albeit it sounding cliché, is to raise awareness to others. Make sure your friends and family are not partaking in software piracy and if they are inform them of the risks to themselves and to society.

Any reasonable individual can identify software piracy as theft if it is brought to their attention or explained to them in a logical manner.

How Can I Help? A final example of an easy way to help would be to report cases of software piracy or suspicious looking programs to the proper place. The SIIA has a section in which you can fill out a piracy report and be eligible for up to 1 million dollars if your information leads to a beneficial conclusion. Most software companies have areas designated for reporting software piracy or hotlines if there are any questions.

A final example of an easy way to help would be to report cases of software piracy or suspicious looking programs to the proper place.

The SIIA has a section in which you can fill out a piracy report and be eligible for up to 1 million dollars if your information leads to a beneficial conclusion. Most software companies have areas designated for reporting software piracy or hotlines if there are any questions.

Where Can I get more information? The best places to get information regarding this issue would be… BSA or Business Software Alliance at BSA.org or over the phone at 202.872.5500. SIIA, The Software and Information Industry Association’s Anti-Piracy Division. Visit them at siia.net or call their hotline at 1-800-388-7478.

The best places to get information regarding this issue would be…

BSA or Business Software Alliance at BSA.org or over the phone at 202.872.5500.

SIIA, The Software and Information Industry Association’s Anti-Piracy Division. Visit them at siia.net or call their hotline at 1-800-388-7478.