IPTango: software piracy

Showing posts with label software piracy. Show all posts

Friday, 15 January 2016

Illegal software - protecting Peruvian business

Patricia Covarrubia January 15, 2016 No comments:

The Peruvian Institute of anti-competition and intellectual property (INDECOPI) has been recognised by the Business Software Alliance (BSA). The BSA is an association created to defend the objectives of the software industry and its hardware partners. It is known as “the leading advocate for the global software industry before governments and in the international marketplace.” Recognition comes for the work INDECOPI, through the Directorate of Copyright, is achieving against the use of illegal software.

Last year INDECOPI run its 5th campaign on legal software [V Campaña de Software Legal] promoting the use of accredited software. The campaign, intended at small and medium enterprises (SMEs), consists on verifying the software installed on SMEs computers. To do so, there is a virtual platform where SMEs file the type of software they use and the details of the license they do have. Failing to submit the requirements and/or if the Directorate of Copyright is not satisfied by the information filed, the Directorate may conduct inspection activities, without prior notice. If a company is using illegal software a fine (of up to 180 UIT (tax units)) and criminal penalties (of up to 8 years in prison as established in the Penal Code), may be imposed.

According to the Directorate, “the four previous campaigns has found the use of legal software in more than 14,000 companies in the country.”

The BSA reports the efforts being made by INDECOPI as well as those by the Peruvian judiciary – imposing sanction against those who are found selling illegal software.

The campaign not only tries to regulate the use of software but it also advice business against the use of illegal software because it risks the company information and may cause technical problems on their devices.

A new resolution or just the same old news

Patricia Covarrubia January 05, 2012 No comments:

In different newspaper and from different countries I was reading similar information regarding the losses that the software industry suffered for piracy.

In Peru for instance, I read that more than USD $ 29 million was thought to be lost in the software industry for piracy, and this sum was only during the month of December -- this estimates were from no other than the Business Software Alliance (BSA), a global organization leading the defence of copyright. According to Piero Calderon, Proxy at BSA in Peru, “The purchase of pirated product at Christmas time has increased, since technology is a very common gift”. The information continues to reveal that the latest study made by International Data Corporation (IDC) in Peru in 2010 the software piracy reached 68%, which meant losses of USD $ 176 million -- the global average in Latin America was 64%.

I move now to another Andean country, my neighbour Colombia. Montserrat Guitart, proxy at BSA in Colombia and Argentina elaborates more in this issue saying that "The seriousness of this behaviour is that it affects all society because it encourages illegal trade, smuggling, counterfeiting and tax revenues are lost.” Then again looking at the IDC, in Colombia in 2010 software piracy reached USD $272 million representing 54% of the programs using during the said year. It is good to know that in 2010 Colombia managed to be one number down in the rate of piracy products.

Will this be news for New Year’s resolution? To respect the rights of copyright by buying legal software. Can this one be tougher than the most famous resolution of losing weight?

Sow and you will reap: the practice ‘catch red handed’ is worthy

Patricia Covarrubia November 09, 2011 No comments:

This year the Peruvian Institute for the Defence of Competition and Intellectual Property Protection (INDECOPI) has intensified surprise audits in different companies to detect the use of illegal software. This practice has been highlighted by Montserrat Durán, senior director of legal affairs for Latin America at Business Software Alliance (BSA). He explains that this type of practice run by INDECOPI marks an example; indeed, it promotes fair competition, the growth of software industry and the welfare of the citizens in our countries. He added that this action is reflected in the medium term, as it is noticeable in one hand by the decline in piracy rates and on the other, by the increase of competitiveness in the software industry.

According to a study run by the International Data Corporation (IDC) in Peru 68% of software programs are illegal or do not have licenses. Also it is observed that Peru remains at the position 55 of a total of 66 countries in the Competitiveness Index Industry Information Technology, 2011

INDECOPI is using not only the Law of Copyright (it empowers the Office to impose fines of up to US$130,000) but also the Criminal Code (sentences of two to eight years, compensation, among others) to combat illegal software.

Sources INDECOPI and Business Software Alliance

Colombia baja un punto porcentual en índice de piratería

Rodrigo Ramirez Herrera @ramahr April 30, 2011 No comments:

Business Software Alliance y la International Data Corporation, indicaron que el índice de piratería bajó al 55% en Colombia, por debajo del 56% del año anterior, lo cual refleja pérdidas económicas estimadas de US$ 244 millones.

El reciente informe de la Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 destaca la importante labor que ha realizado la Dirección Nacional de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN), así como importantes allanamientos por parte de las autoridades colombianas para capturar los bienes falsificados y medidas para reducir la alteración de medicamentos lo que lleva a procesos severos en contra de infractores de la Propiedad Intelectual.

Según el Representante Comercial de Estados Unidos (USTR) Colombia se encuentra en la lista de observación oficial de niveles más bajos por altos niveles de piratería, sin embargo, países de América Latina y el Caribe, como Argentina, Chile y Venezuela fueron incluidos en la Priority Watch List.

Debido a un gran número de personas que inciden en el delito de la piratería de objetos como libros, CD’s y Softwares, se estiman pérdidas por 127 millones de dólares en el último año.

Según las investigaciones de la Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual (OMPI) y la Dirección Nacional de Derecho de Autor de Colombia, las industrias protegidas por el Derecho de Autor representan 4 mil 800 millones de dólares, casi el 3.3% del PIB colombiano.

Fuente: www.elheraldo.co

Chile: software piracy indicates unpaid taxes

Patricia Covarrubia July 15, 2010 No comments:

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), in 2009 Chile lost $ 315 million for unpaid taxes due to pirated software. A spokesman from Business Software Alliance (BSA) expressed concern on this issue [I wonder if the government also is concerned, at the end, it is the one that is losing the revenue -unpaid tax, don’t you agree?].

Rodrigo Bulnes, BSA representative in Chile, said: "These losses reflect a worrying situation, it has to do with the little respect we have in Chile for the intellectual property”. He also mentioned that without prejudice to the institutional developments, like the reform of the Intellectual Property Act (see early post), piracy affects the country's image, discouraging innovation and harming the installation of foreign companies, due to the low level of protection for intellectual property rights.

Click here for an early post regarding a study on the rate of illegal software in Latin America.

Software piracy rate: a see-saw effect?

Patricia Covarrubia May 17, 2010 No comments:

A software study regarding the rate of illegal software showed a slight drop in some Latin America countries but also showed a rise in others. The study sponsored by Business Software Alliance (BSA), illustrates that even though a change in user behaviour is seen, this is not enough. Losses due to software piracy in Latin America have increased, from $4,311 million in 2008 to $6,210 million in 2009. This is so, because while there is a decline in percentage, the local market has growth – greater access to technology.

Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia, El Salvador and Nicaragua appear on the list ‘top 30 Highest Piracy Rates in 2009’. The Latin America region is the third with the highest use of illegal software.

Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica are among the countries that have steadily decreased the rate of illegal software by more than 5% over the past five years (on the contrary, Venezuela has increased it by 5%).

The full report can be read here (in English – for a change!). You can also download the info by country - click here.

An early post covering only Mexico here.

México: Usa un 60% de software pirata

Gilberto Macias (@gmaciasb) May 14, 2010 No comments:

El estudio Mundial de Piratería elaborado por el grupo Businnes Software Alliance (BSA) reveló que durante el año 2009 la tasa de uso de software ilegal en México se ubicó en un 60%. Lo cual representa unas pérdidas económicas de mil millones 56 mil dólares.

Según el estudio de la BSA, por cada 100 dólares de software legal vendido (en México) en 2009, otros 75 dólares fueron software pirata.

Los factores que llevan al incremento de las tasas de piratería incluyen el rápido crecimiento del mercado de consumidores de computadoras personales y una mayor actividad sobre la base de computadoras viejas, donde el software sin licencia prevalece junto a sofisticados recursos de piratería.

Uno de los esfuerzos de la BSA para la promoción de un mundo digital seguro y legal durante el último año fue la creación del primer portal para la denuncia de piratería de software en América Latina: Basta de pirateria.

Esta plataforma es un espacio para denunciar la piratería en América Latina y al mismo tiempo incentivar la participación de los usuarios de computadores para reducir la ilegalidad del software y de esta manera reafirmar el respeto frente a la propiedad intelectual y los derechos de autor.

De acuerdo con los resultados, México figuró entre los 17 países que incrementaron sus indicadores de uso de software ilegal un 1.0%. En la misma lista figuran otros países como Alemania, Dinamarca, Austria, Irlanda, Italia e Israel.

Costa Rica: 'Do not risk your business using pirated software'

Patricia Covarrubia March 22, 2010 1 comment:

Business Software Alliance (BSA), a non-profit entity created by the computer industry against piracy in the world, informs that since its campaign 'Do not risk your business using pirated software', there has been auditing companies in Costa Rica. As a result, Rodolfo Barrera (BSA lawyer) explains that eight out of ten companies in the country use illegal software.

Officers and officials from the IP Office, as well as specialist from BSA have been involved in the searches.

Barrera adds that those companies using pirated software have been fined $20,000 to $ 50,000. He says that “the penalties depend on the firm size and type of software they are using. It also provides an account of the program and the profits they might have for their illegal use”. While the latter is the normal – account of profit, I am not quite sure about the size of the company. In fact, I cannot see why.
In other words, does it count that I do not have extra cash to buy a CD and so I get a pirated one? Should the law penalise harder Bill Gates if he does the same?

In the same news, the newspaper informs that according to a BSA report, Guatemala ranks first in software piracy (81%) in Central America but third together with Bolivia in Latin America. Venezuela (86%) is in the first place followed by Paraguay (83%).

Chile y la pirateria

Aurelio Lopez-Tarruella Martinez February 03, 2010 No comments:

En continuación al post publicado en IP Tango recientemente sobre Chile y la piratería, Rodrigo Ramirez (Abogado de Ramos Pazos, Montecinos & Díez) nos trae más información:

Chile actualmente es miembro de la OCDE y su ranking de piratería casi duplica la de los países miembros. Este dato ha sido entregado por la asociación que agrupa a las empresas de software de Chile y el mundo (Business Software Alliance). Según cálculos de la BSA, la tasa promedio de piratería de los países integrantes de la OCDE es de un 35%, siendo la tasa de Chile un 67%.

Con estas cifras Chile encabeza la lista de los países con más piratería dentro de la OCDE, seguido por Turquía (64%), Polonia (56%) y México (59%). El país con bajo nivel de piratería es EE.UU. de Norteamérica con un 20%.

En la última medición, la piratería de software en Chile aumentó un punto, llegando al 67% actual, y perdió US$ 202 millones por este concepto en el año 2008. La noticia aquí.

INDECOPI inspecting genuine use of software in local businesses

Patricia Covarrubia January 28, 2010 No comments:

The Peruvian Institute of Unfair competition and Protection of IP (INDECOPI) is monitoring some businesses in order to verify that they are using genuine software in their computers. So far, in the city of Chiclayo, in the Lambayeque region, the Institute has inspected six companies, 159 computers and 295 software.

"The installation or reproduction of computer programs without authorization of the holder (license) infringes the rights recognized by Peruvian law and international treaties," said Magaly Guzman, head of the Regional Office of INDECOPI in Lambayeque.

After this procedure, INDECOPI may initiate appropriate administrative processes to punish the companies in which it has found pirated software. The legislation allows the INDECOPI to impose administrative sanctions (i.e. temporary or permanent closure of an offending establishment), confiscation of equipment and/or accessories involved in the illegal act and the imposition of fines.

Colombia reports millions in losses from illegal software

Patricia Covarrubia December 12, 2009 No comments:

The New Herald newspaper informs the statement given by Microsoft. It is reported that Colombia alone registered more than US$ 136 million in losses from illegal software in 2009.

The Microsoft’s manager for Colombia explained that "while the software piracy rate dropped two points (from 58% to 56%) the economic losses increased”. He added that this issue was not only because of the growth of the domestic market but also because of “the use of the Internet as a means of product promotion and illegal distribution". The manager also said that in Latin America, the piracy rate remained at 66% last year, with losses equivalent to US$ 4.311 million.

If you think the number are high, wait for the whole report.
The country (in Latin America) with the highest rate of counterfeiting is Venezuela, with a whooping rate of 86%. The other two are Paraguay with 83% and Bolivia with 81%. To my surprise, the lowest rate was reported to...Colombia, with 56%. Brazil reported 58%, so good news to those who are planning to develop new software to run and smooth things at the Olympic games in 2016 (I am not trying to be sarcastic).

Acciones contra el software ilegal en Guadalajara (México)

Aurelio Lopez-Tarruella Martinez July 22, 2008 1 comment:

Nos cuenta Gilberto Macias que desde el pasado mes de junio se están fomentando diversas acciones enfocadas a combatir el uso del software ilegal en la Ciudad de Guadalajara, México. Dichas acciones son promovidas conjuntamente por el Gobierno del Estado de Jalisco, el Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI) y la Business Software Alliance (BSA).

El objetivo de dicha campaña no es otro que el disminuir el uso y la venta del software “pirata”, cuya utilización es cercana al 50% en todo el Estado de Jalisco.

Ojala que este tipo de acciones sirva para que los consumidores, tanto empresas como particulares, se concienticen del valor, respeto e importancia de los derechos de propiedad industrial e intelectual. Es por todos sabido que la industria del software es una de las más golpeadas por la piratería, de ahí que el Gobierno, el IMPI y la BSA estén interesados en combatirla arduamente con este tipo de campañas.

Some IPTango moves

* Listed as one of the "Best blogs on Intellectual and Industrial Property Law". The University of Alicante Intellectual Property & Information Technology Project (UAIPIT).

* One of the only two Latin American blog listed in the "Top 100 Intellectual Property Blogs". Feedspot, as of May 2021.

* Listed as one of the "Top 15 Blogs For An Intellectual Property (IP) Enthusiasts". Buzzfeed.com, January 2017.

* Listed as one of the "World's Best IP Blogs". BananaIP.com, December 2015.

* IPTango founder Professor Jeremy Phillips was listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2014.

* Listed as one of the "Influential intellectual property blawgs". A Dictionary of Intellectual Property Law, Peter Groves, 2011.

* Listed as one of the "Communities of Blawgers". Los blogs jurídicos y la web 2.0. para la difusión y la enseñanza del derecho, Gonzalo Ramírez Cleves, 2010.