South Africa is making headway in the fight against piracy. The country's piracy rate remained at 35% despite the doubling of the PC market in 2010.
This according to the Business Software Alliance's (BSA) 2010 Global Software Piracy Study, which evaluates the state of software piracy around the world.
The study also indicates that the commercial value of unlicensed software installed on personal computers in SA reached over R3.6 billion last year.
Renee Luus, BSA's enforcement manager, says the research shows that despite an increase in the number of PC shipments last year, some progress has been made in keeping the software piracy rate in SA at bay.
”However, there is still much more work to be done. The further we reduce software piracy, the better it will be for the South African economy in terms of fostering IT innovation as well as job creation,” she adds.
The survey also found widespread recognition that licensed software is superior to unlicensed software, and that PC users are very aware of legal versus illegal methods to acquire software.
Clearly, there is a strong appreciation for the value delivered by legal software in the country, says Luus.
“The results reinforce the need to educate users that software downloaded from peer-to-peer networks is often illegal, and installing software purchased for one computer on multiple home or office PCs is piracy.”
President and CEO of BSA, Robert Holleyman, says the study shows that while piracy continues to threaten the global economy, people clearly understand and appreciate the value of intellectual property, especially its role in driving economic growth.
“Software theft continues to stifle IT innovation, job creation, and economic growth around the world,” he says.
This report clearly shows the importance of educating businesses, government officials, and end-users about the risks of software theft - and what they can do to stop it, he adds.
Charl Everton, chairperson of the BSA committee in SA, says the opportunity for piracy is very real but the opportunity to reduce it is even more real because of the IT industry's relationship with the South African government.
He says the BSA is encouraged and welcomes government's efforts to focus on reducing software piracy.
“We believe the formation of the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, an independent body, bringing together the skills and knowledge of the Office of Companies and Intellectual Property Enforcement and the Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office, is a progressive move by government.
“It sends a clear message that government is committed not only to education and awareness, but also compliance and enforcement in the fight against software piracy,” he says.
The study also reveals that the commercial value of pirated software in MEA is at the total just over $4 billion. “Globally, the value of software theft grew to a record $59 billion - nearly double that when the study began in 2003.”
It also shows that emerging economies have become a driving force behind PC software piracy.
“Piracy rates in the developing world are 2.5 times higher than those in the developed world, and the commercial value of pirated software ($31.9 billion) accounts for more than half of the world's total.”
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