MORE TRICKS THAN TREATS IN PIRATED
SOFTWARE
~ Microsoft helps
protect consumers and the economy from the dangers of
software in disguise ~
October 2007
Microsoft Corporation is helping
protect consumers and businesses from the dangers of
"trick" software - counterfeit software disguised as
genuine - and is working to take the economic advantage
out of dealing in pirated software.
To help consumers avoid being
tricked into using pirated software, Microsoft has set
up a Web site (http://www.howtotell.com)
to help them avoid deals that seem "too good to be true"
and learn how to spot the differences between genuine
and non-genuine software. These "How to Tell" tips are
part of Microsoft's Genuine Software Initiative, a three-pronged
program that addresses software piracy by promoting
education for consumers and partners, seeking engineering
solutions to dissuade pirates and taking enforcement
actions to protect honest software vendors.
As part of this three-pronged
initiative to help protect consumers and legitimate
businesses, Microsoft today announced the filing of
20 lawsuits against alleged dealers of counterfeit or
infringing software in 13 states (Alabama, California,
Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, New Jersey,
New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Virginia).
The pandemic of counterfeiting
and piracy is estimated to cost the U.S. economy an
average of 750,000 jobs annually - nearly equivalent
to employing the entire city of San Francisco. Piracy
also has a devastating effect on industries built on
innovation and intellectual property, with software
piracy losses in the United States accounting for economic
losses of $7.3 billion in 2006, according to a study
conducted by industry analyst firm IDC.
Customers want to be confident
that they can purchase genuine software from their local
software resellers, and ensuring customers receive genuine
software across the United States is of paramount concern
to Microsoft's anti-piracy program. Intellectual property
is a key driver of the U.S. economy, and the lawsuits
announced today are part of Microsoft's ongoing commitment
to protect intellectual property, jobs, honest resellers
and partners from dishonest dealers who victimize consumers
and businesses by exposing them to the risks of counterfeit
software, such as viruses, loss of data, or identity
theft.
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