Online Automotive Resource Pays $400,000 to Settle Claims of Unlicensed Software Use
Aug 24, 2010, 11:55 ET
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Business Software Alliance (BSA), the voice of the world's commercial software industry, today announced a settlement with AutoTrader.com, the leading automotive marketplace and consumer information website headquartered in Atlanta, GA. AutoTrader.com paid $400,000 to BSA to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Autodesk, Corel and Quest software installed on its computers. As part of the settlement agreement, the company agreed to delete all unlicensed copies of software from its computers, acquire any licenses necessary to become compliant and commit to implementing stronger software asset management (SAM) practices. BSA was alerted to the unlicensed software use by a confidential report made on its website www.nopiracy.org.
"AutoTrader.com has grown from 10 employees at our founding 12 years ago to more than 2,000 today," said Bob Hadley of AutoTrader.com. "During that time we have focused on managing the explosive growth of the company and serving the tens of thousands of customers – auto dealers, manufacturers and private sellers – who advertise vehicles for sale on AutoTrader.com and the millions of shoppers searching for cars on our site. We believe our employees have the utmost integrity when it comes to these matters and this audit brought to light the importance of having procedures in place to make sure all software purchases and licenses can be accounted for in accordance with Business Software Alliance policies."
"It is important businesses understand the risks associated with using unauthorized software on any computer," said Jodie Kelley, BSA's vice president of anti-piracy and general counsel. "Not only do organizations face possible legal trouble for employing pirated software, there are also tremendous security and economic consequences involved."
DATA
2009 US Piracy Rate* 2009 U.S. Losses to Software Industry Benefits of reducing piracy by 10 %age points over 4 years** 2009 Global Piracy Rate 2009 Worldwide Losses to Software Industry |
20% $8.3 Billion 32,000 new jobs; $41 billion in economic growth; $7 billion in tax revenue 43% $51.4 Billion |
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* Seventh-Annual BSA-IDC Global Software Piracy Study ** Economic Benefits of Reducing PC Software Piracy Study |
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BSA Rewards Program Rewards Paid by BSA Since 2008 Avg. Annual End-User Piracy Reports to BSA (since 2007) Website for Reporting Piracy to BSA Hotline for Reporting Piracy to BSA |
Know it, Report it, Reward it $372,225 2,419 1-888-NO-PIRACY |
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BSA Website Free Self-Audit tools provided by BSA Facebook (keyword) Fines for violating copyright law If convicted of violating copyright law Risks of Software Piracy |
Business Software Alliance (BSA) Anti-Piracy $150,000 per title copied $250,000 per title copied and/or Jail (up to 5 years) Financial: Thousands of dollars in fines and damages Technical: Information security risks; viruses, trojans, malware; Identity theft; Exposure of sensitive data and personal information. Legal: Fines, Criminal Prosecution, Risk of being caught by BSA |
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About BSA
The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the foremost organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world. BSA is the voice of the world's commercial software industry and its hardware partners before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members represent one of the fastest growing industries in the world. BSA programs foster technology innovation through education and policy initiatives that promote copyright protection, cyber security, trade and e-commerce. BSA members include Adobe, Altium, Apple, Autodesk, Aveva, Bentley Systems, Corel, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation, Microsoft, Minitab, Progress Software, Quark, Quest Software, Rosetta Stone, Siemens, Sybase, Symantec, and The MathWorks.
SOURCE Business Software Alliance
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