Software pirates face legal action

SOFTWARE piracy costs the Irish software industry €40 million a year and now the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has started taking legal action against companies suspected of using unlicensed software.

The BSA has targeted Cork-based Snap-on Equipment Europe Limited and has started legal proceedings against the firm. The BSA alleges that the firm had unlicensed copies of Macromedia and Microsoft software programmes installed on office computers.

However, a spokesman for Snap-on said they have provided proof that their software is fully licensed to the BSA and intend to fight any court action brought against the company.

“The matter is in the hands of our solicitors,” the Snap-on spokesman added.

After disclosing the commencement of legal proceedings against Snap-on yesterday, the BSA called on Irish businesses to be more proactive in managing their software assets to avoid facing legal action and possible costly damages.

The BSA revealed that another seven IT-related companies, six in Dublin and one in Cork, are being investigated in relation to suspected unauthorised software use.

BSA Ireland chairperson Julian McMenamin disclosed that all of these actions have resulted from information reported during the BSA’s Software Audit Return Initiative earlier this year: “Illegal software use hurts many entities but most of all the IT industry. Technology related companies that do not put effective software asset management procedures in place are literally shooting themselves in the foot.

Last year the Irish software industry lost almost $44 million due to software piracy,” she added.

The BSA says Ireland’s software piracy rate currently stands at 42% and according to a recent report the benefits of a reduced piracy rate would extend far beyond the immediate IT industry.