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Redmond (WA) - Yesterday, Microsoft took a page out of history - literally. They marked the day and gave it a name: "Global Anti-Piracy Day." Designed to highlight their initiatives combating the global piracy epidemic, Microsoft launched education and enforcement action initiatives in 49 countries and on six continents making this a truly massive effort. Microsoft calls their foe "a sophisticated, illegal trade of pirated and counterfeit software," one which is believed to inhabit one-third of the PCs world-wide, costing software companies an estimated $50 billion in 2007. Microsoft is on the move.
The plan
Microsoft has announced programs which "include intellectual property awareness campaigns, engagements with partner businesses, educational forums, local law enforcement training, and new legal actions against alleged software counterfeiters and pirates."
Microsoft has also made the commitment to "work with communities, national governments and local law enforcement agencies around the world to help protect its customers and partners and promote the value of intellectual property as a driver of innovation."
Highlighting Microsoft's position regarding the damaging nature of pirated software, Guy Sebban, secretary general of the International Chamber of Commerce, said "It will only be possible to halt counterfeiting and piracy on a global scale through this kind of collaboration between governments and the private sector — both to educate people about the value of intellectual property and to take action against trade in illicit products."
David Finn, associate general counsel for Microsoft's Worldwide Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting office, said "Microsoft is driving anti-piracy efforts across countries and continents through an equally sophisticated system of business intelligence, forensics and education. Together, we are working to identify international connection points between software pirates and counterfeiters, to help stop them in their tracks and protect consumers and legitimate businesses from this illegal trade."
Global Anti-Piracy Day
Microsoft's decision to name the day recognizes piracy as the most significant threat faced by software companies, even besting competition and government sanctions. By bringing world-wide attention to what they call a significant negative influence on innovation, Microsoft's efforts are now focused on globalizing the policement of existing laws, working to create new ones, and insuring that everything possible to be done is being done.
Said John Newton of the Intellectual Property Rights Project, Financial and High-Tech Crime Subdirectorate, INTERPOL General Secretariat, "There is growing evidence that highly organized, transnational criminal organizations and networks are involved in the counterfeiting of software and other goods. This is a global problem with global sources of supply; this is why we need to work together — the public and the private sectors — to stop this trade. To that end, Microsoft and INTERPOL are now cooperating with police and customs agencies around the world to use all available intelligence to ensure that our joint investigations lead to arrests and convictions of criminal counterfeiters."
Protection
Microsoft believes that by protecting legitimate software purchasers from the potential threats, pulls and draws of illegal software use, the entire market will not only produce better quality products with more innovation, but also protect users from viruses, worms and other malicious software which potentially exists on illegal, counterfeit versions.
A long standing 24-hour anti-piracy hotline at Microsoft is highlighted in their press release. 1-800-RU-LEGIT (1-800-785-3448) can be called if there is ever a concern over the legitimacy of purchased software.
Read on next page: Author's opinion
The plan
Microsoft has announced programs which "include intellectual property awareness campaigns, engagements with partner businesses, educational forums, local law enforcement training, and new legal actions against alleged software counterfeiters and pirates."
Microsoft has also made the commitment to "work with communities, national governments and local law enforcement agencies around the world to help protect its customers and partners and promote the value of intellectual property as a driver of innovation."
Highlighting Microsoft's position regarding the damaging nature of pirated software, Guy Sebban, secretary general of the International Chamber of Commerce, said "It will only be possible to halt counterfeiting and piracy on a global scale through this kind of collaboration between governments and the private sector — both to educate people about the value of intellectual property and to take action against trade in illicit products."
David Finn, associate general counsel for Microsoft's Worldwide Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting office, said "Microsoft is driving anti-piracy efforts across countries and continents through an equally sophisticated system of business intelligence, forensics and education. Together, we are working to identify international connection points between software pirates and counterfeiters, to help stop them in their tracks and protect consumers and legitimate businesses from this illegal trade."
Global Anti-Piracy Day
Microsoft's decision to name the day recognizes piracy as the most significant threat faced by software companies, even besting competition and government sanctions. By bringing world-wide attention to what they call a significant negative influence on innovation, Microsoft's efforts are now focused on globalizing the policement of existing laws, working to create new ones, and insuring that everything possible to be done is being done.
Said John Newton of the Intellectual Property Rights Project, Financial and High-Tech Crime Subdirectorate, INTERPOL General Secretariat, "There is growing evidence that highly organized, transnational criminal organizations and networks are involved in the counterfeiting of software and other goods. This is a global problem with global sources of supply; this is why we need to work together — the public and the private sectors — to stop this trade. To that end, Microsoft and INTERPOL are now cooperating with police and customs agencies around the world to use all available intelligence to ensure that our joint investigations lead to arrests and convictions of criminal counterfeiters."
Protection
Microsoft believes that by protecting legitimate software purchasers from the potential threats, pulls and draws of illegal software use, the entire market will not only produce better quality products with more innovation, but also protect users from viruses, worms and other malicious software which potentially exists on illegal, counterfeit versions.
A long standing 24-hour anti-piracy hotline at Microsoft is highlighted in their press release. 1-800-RU-LEGIT (1-800-785-3448) can be called if there is ever a concern over the legitimacy of purchased software.
Read on next page: Author's opinion