Piracy Cases and Statisics: What is the Real Issue?

Companies are progressing in commitment to protecting their intellectual property from pirates both in the United States and Internationally as well.  In July 2013, Microsoft announced that it had settled 3,265 copyright infringement cases around the globe during the past year. At the end of its fiscal year on June 30, the cases totaled 35 across 19 U.S. states and 3,230 international cases across 42 countries. Most of the cases presented were a result of consumers tipping off and reporting about the counterfeit software which enabled malware and viruses; since 2005 450,000 customers have reported to Microsoft about Pirated Software.

Ningbo Beyond Group of China, was one of the companies involved who had allegedly infringed the software company’s copyrights in Microsoft’s Windows, Office, Server and Visual Studio software. Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft obviously has taken piracy seriously not only in the United States but globally as well. Personally, I believe if companies whether big or small would take Piracy as a serious issue and make it apparent that Piracy is not going to be tolerated, such as what Microsoft is progressing to do, then there would be fewer cases throughout the years. 

Most do not agree that Piracy and theft constitutes a serious problem for the Industry, however I have found statistics that would prove otherwise. For instance, economically the annual cost of global piracy to U.S films in lost sales is $25 billion and 375,000 jobs are lost each year to piracy, costing American workers $16 billion in earnings.  In the future, 1.2 million jobs could be lost in the European Union's creative industries by 2015 without significant policy changes, accounting to 240 billion euros.

So what is the real issue concerning Piracy?

Not only is Piracy widely used across the globe but it is in fact impacting economies both in the U.S and internationally.  In an economy where jobs are scarce, the last thing the people need is more job cuts and the last thing the economy needs is a higher unemployment rate.  The fact that people do not take Piracy seriously as they should is stifling in my opinion because it is effecting not only companies but workers and the community as well.

Piracy is indeed a crime whether it is software, music or movies being downloaded illegally, but what happens when people break the law and get off with only a slap on the wrist?  The answer....piracy continues and the law continues to be broken while companies and workers suffer making life a little bit harder year after year. An example of this can be found through a case where the US Supreme Court refused to take up the case of a woman ordered to pay a $220,000 fine for illegally downloading music off the internet. The judge that presided over the trial threw out the verdict calling it "wholly disproportionate" and "oppressive".

How can companies abolish piracy if the courts will not even address the issue and make an example out of people who break the law?

Not only is the economy an issue when talking about Piracy but the court system not doing their job in my opinion is another issue.  Piracy is an issue that needs to be dealt with sooner than later, and until the courts and other big companies get serious piracy will still be around, jobs will be lost and companies will suffer in the long run. So I ask you, how would you deal with the Piracy issue if you were the head of a big company or able to create laws for prevention?

For more on the topics presented and sources check out the links below:

• http://www.dga.org/craft/dgaq/all-articles/1001-spring-2010/internet-issues-piracy-statistics.aspx 
• http://phys.org/news/2013-03-court-appeal-piracy-case.html 
• http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2013/jul13/07-09casespr.aspx 

Three trials and multiple appeals later, she has been ordered to pay amounts as high as $1.92 million—or $80,000 for each of 24 illegally downloaded tracks. After the third trial, at which the jury awarded the music companies $1.5 million, the amount was reduced on appeal to $220,000.
That's the amount in damages Thomas-Rasset was originally ordered to pay after her first conviction, but the judge who presided over that trial threw out the verdict calling it "wholly disproportionate" and "oppressive."


Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-03-court-appeal-piracy-case.html#jCp

to take up the case of a woman ordered to pay a $220,000 fine for illegally downloading music off the internet.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-03-court-appeal-piracy-case.html#jCp

to take up the case of a woman ordered to pay a $220,000 fine for illegally downloading music off the internet.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-03-court-appeal-piracy-case.html#jCp