Using Illegal Software May Not Pay

The Business Software Alliance, a watchdog group representing the nation's leading software manufacturers, today announced it has collected over $2 million in settlements from 19 U.S. companies that were running illegal software.

In addition to making the payments, each company agreed to delete any unlicensed copies of programs it was using, purchase any needed replacements, and strengthen software management practices, the BSA said.

"We hope that these announcements will encourage other businesses to re-examine and update, if necessary, their software management systems," Jenny Blank, director of enforcement at the BSA, said in a statement. "Businesses should be certain that using fully licensed software is part of their corporate responsibility checklist."

Software piracy is illegal, and companies can be fined up to $150,000 for each software title copied, the BSA said.

Turned In

Blank said most investigations begin with a call to BSA's hotline or with an online report to the BSA by a company's current or former workers. "Once we have that information, we review it and assess it to make sure it's something we should act on," Blank said. "Then we contact those companies, generally through our attorneys, and invite them to cooperate with us by doing a self-audit, as opposed to being involved in a court lawsuit."

That process can take anywhere from two weeks to several months, Blank said. "These companies decided to settle because it made sense to find an amicable resolution rather than go to court," Blank said.

Who Paid?

Some of the companies that settled with the BSA:

• Arcadian Healthcare, a Cranford, New Jersey-based provider of home oxygen therapy and clinical respiratory care, paid BSA $150,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Microsoft, Symantec, and McAfee software installed on office computers.
• BioTrove, a Woburn, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, paid BSA $82,443 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe Systems, Apple Computer, Microsoft, and Symantec software on office computers.
• Dimensional Innovations, a Shawnee Mission, Kansas-based design and specialty fabrication firm, paid $80,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Microsoft, and SolidWorks programs on office computers.
• Goodman Networks, a Farmers Branch, Texas-based telecommunications equipment services company, paid $295,000 to settle claims that it was using unlicensed copies of Bentley Systems, McAfee, and Symantec software.
• King Venture, a Southfield, Michigan-based family-restaurant acquisition, management, and development company, paid $85,000 to settle claims that it used unlicensed copies of Microsoft and Symantec software.
• LinkShare, a New York online performance-based marketing company, paid $89,000 to settle claims that it was using unlicensed copies of Adobe, McAfee, Microsoft, and Symantec programs.
• Monterey Mushrooms, a grower, shipper, and marketer of fresh mushrooms in Watsonville, California, paid $165,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Autodesk, Borland Software, Microsoft, and Symantec programs on office computers.
• Noble Systems, an international call-center software, computer telephony, and customer contact technology company in Atlanta, paid $80,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Microsoft, and Symantec software installed on its office computers.
• PCB Piezotronics, a Depew, New York-based manufacturer of electronics for the measurement of dynamic pressure, force, and vibration, paid the BSA $175,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Autodesk, Borland, Microsoft, The Mathworks, SolidWorks, and Sybase software on office computers.
• The Polo Club Boca Raton Property Owner's Association, a social and sporting community club in Florida, paid $85,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Microsoft, and Symantec software on its computers.
• Superior Production Partnership, an automotive and appliance dies manufacturer in Columbus, Ohio, paid the BSA $140,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Autodesk, Microsoft, and Symantec programs installed on its computers.
• U.S. Manufacturing, an auto industry axle housing maker in Warren, Michigan, paid BSA $300,000 to settle claims that it had unlicensed copies of Adobe, Microsoft, and Symantec software on office computers.