Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 13, 2009

BSA Launches "Faces of Internet Piracy" Educational Campaign Bars

Software Piracy is a $48 Billion Problem for the Industry

Washington, DC –Computers can do amazing things these days.  But a lot of the software that helps them work their modern day magic is being pirated and sold dishonestly.  The Business Software Alliance (BSA) today unveiled “Faces of Internet Piracy," a revealing look at the practice of piracy. Through this new educational campaign, BSA spotlights true stories of people affected by piracy.

BSA toured the country interviewing software pirates from all walks of life, including an Austin, Texas, college track star; a Richmond Hills, Georgia, grandmother; a Lakeland, Florida entrepreneur; and a Wichita Falls, Texas software programmer. A new BSA Web page features videos of the pirates telling their personal stories.

"These stories are a wake-up call for distributors and users of illegal software," said Robert Holleyman, BSA's President and CEO. "Don't take our word for it; just listen to these software pirates explain how they made money by duping thousands of people into purchasing or downloading illegal software from the Internet. Hear how their actions ended up costing them serious fines and prison sentences."

“Faces of Internet Piracy” reveals that piracy is not only dangerous for those who are distributing illegal software, but also for those who are using it.  Consumers face a number of serious risks from purchasing or downloading software from questionable Web sites, including:

• Handing over credit card information to criminals who trade in your personal information;
• Never receiving the product that was ordered;
• Receiving a product that is not fully functional, with no technical support or automatic security and performance updates; and
• Receiving software that may contain malicious code that steals your personal information or even recruits your computer into a remote-controlled "botnet" used for further criminal purposes.

Visit the Faces of Piracy Web site to watch interviews with software pirates, including their admissions of how they harmed other people and ruined their own lives. Access online shopping tips for software consumers, and learn how people can protect themselves from becoming a victim of piracy. Individuals can also learn about BSA's "Know It, Report It, Reward It" program that pays up to $1 million for credible reports of software piracy. Confidential reports can be made to the BSA by calling 1-888-NO-PIRACY or by visiting www.nopiracy.com.

The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the foremost organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world. BSA is the voice of the world's commercial software industry and its hardware partners before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members represent one of the fastest growing industries in the world. BSA programs foster technology innovation through education and policy initiatives that promote copyright protection, cyber security, trade and e-commerce. BSA members include Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Corel, CyberLink, Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation, Embarcadero, McAfee, Microsoft, Minitab, Quark, Quest Software, Rosetta Stone, Siemens, Sybase, Symantec, and The MathWorks.

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