Microsoft escalates war on piracy with 300 cases around the world |
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Microsoft escalates war on piracy with 300 cases around the world
Microsoft is launching a large, coordinated attack against software piracy on Thursday -- saying it's working with government agencies, law enforcement officials and others on more than 300 civil and criminal actions against alleged counterfeiters in 70 countries.
It's part of a campaign that the company is calling "Consumer Action Day," an effort to educate PC users and companies about the risks of pirated software.
Of course, the initiative plays into Microsoft's business interests, encouraging people to buy legitimate copies of its programs. But it's also meant to highlight the fact that many illegitimate programs come bundled with spyware, viruses and other malware that can make PC users vulnerable to privacy leaks and other problems.
The company says the unprecedented number of cases is fueled by a sharp increase in voluntary reporting of counterfeit software, driven in part by its Windows Genuine Advantage anti-piracy detection technologies. Microsoft says it has received more than 150,000 voluntary reports over the past two years from people who discovered that they unwittingly bought pirated programs.
"Consumers have somewhat been an untapped resource in the battle against software piracy," said David Finn, Microsoft associate general counsel for anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting. "I think they've been underappreciated and unknown, but they are actually a natural remedy to software piracy, because they're increasingly frustrated and angry about the connection to viruses and malware."
Microsoft says the legal actions include civil lawsuits against technology resellers and computer shops, in addition to criminal cases against major syndicates allegedly involved in software counterfeiting.
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