BSA Launches 'Faces' Educational Campaign

Software piracy is as great a problem as better-known music and film piracy, and the consequences can be severe. "Faces of Internet Piracy" is a new educational campaign by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) to spotlight true stories of people affected by piracy, starting with five who used the Internet to illegally peddle computer software.

BSA has toured the country interviewing software pirates from all walks of life, including an Austin, Texas college track star; a Richmond Hills, Georgia grandmother; a Lakeland, Florida entrepreneur; a Wichita Falls, Texas software programmer; and a New Milford, Connecticut college student. A new BSA Web page presents videos of the pirates telling their stories.

"These stories are a wake-up call for distributors and users of illegal software," said Robert Holleyman, BSA's President and CEO. "Don't take our word for it; just listen to these software pirates explain how they made money by duping thousands of people into purchasing or downloading illegal software from the Internet. Hear how their actions ended up costing them serious fines and prison sentences."

Consumers face a number of serious risks from purchasing or downloading software from questionable Web sites, including:
* Handing over credit card information to criminals who trade in your personal information;
* Never receiving the product that you ordered;
* Receiving a product that is not fully functional, with no technical support or automatic security and performance updates; and
* Receiving software that may contain malicious code that steals your personal information or even recruits your computer into a remote-controlled "botnet" used for further criminal purposes.

Visit the Faces of Piracy Web site to watch interviews with software pirates, including their admissions of how they harmed other people and ruined their own lives. Access online shopping tips for software consumers, and learn how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of piracy. You can also learn about BSA's "Know It, Report It, Reward It" program that pays individuals up to $1 million for credible reports of software piracy. Confidential reports can be made to the BSA by calling 1-888-NO-PIRACY or by visiting www.nopiracy.com.

Produced for the Business Software Alliance (BSA)