The international market for pirated or stolen software has now reached $US59 billion, according to research undertaken by the Business Software Alliance.
The group is funded by software giants including Microsoft.
A new study from the group has found that theft of software rose by 14% internationally, doubling since 2003. The results are based on the aggregation of surveys of 15,000 users in 32 countries conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs.
“The software industry is being robbed blind,” BSA chief executive Robert Holleyman said in a statement. “Nearly $59 billion worth of products were stolen last year – and the rates of theft are completely out of control in the world’s fastest-growing markets.”
“The irony is people everywhere value intellectual property rights, but in many cases they don’t understand they are getting their software illegally.”
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
