Creatives and techies amongst worst software pirates
Print storyBSA hits firms for €4m
Posted in Software, 4th March 2005 15:31 GMT
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The Business Software Alliance hauled in almost €4m from enforcement actions against EMEA businesses last year, a 10 per cent rise on 2003.
Small and medium firms in the creative industries, the hi-tech sector and professional services were the worst offenders, the software industry rottweiller declared today, as it reported that it launched 1,372 raids and 1,203 legal actions in the region in 2004.
Individual penalties ranged from €10,000 to a massive €300,000 in the case of one naughty firm of architects. Other actions are still pending, meaning the total penalty haul could swell further.
Even so, the BSA’s penalties are just a drop in the ocean when set against the €9.7bn that piracy in Europe is estimated to cost the software industry each year.
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