The war on software piracy is one that can neither be won nor lost, but SA can make significant headway by educating the country as a whole about the importance of intellectual property (IP).
So said Drummond Simpson, Business Software Alliance (BSA) chairperson, in an interview with ITWeb. In SA, BSA members are Adobe, Microsoft, Symantec, Worldsview and Adams & Adams.
The organisation defines software piracy as the unauthorised copying or distribution of copyrighted software. This can be done by copying, downloading, sharing, selling or installing multiple copies onto personal or work computers.
“We need to educate users that software is not a free giveaway. They should understand that some people spend a lot of their time developing this software and are doing business. They should also always bear in mind that getting a software licence is the 'right thing to do', always,” said Simpson.
“Getting pirated software is a criminal offence, which not only kills the industry, but also leads to criminal prosecution.”
He also noted that many PC users lack a clear understanding of whether common ways of acquiring software are legal, especially in high-piracy markets.
In the BSA Global Piracy Study, it is estimated that SA lost about R4 billion to pirated software in 2011 and that, for every three pieces of software in the country, one is pirated.
“Imagine if this amount had found its way into the fiscus, even a quarter of it? This can make a massive difference to the country's economy. But in this case, the money is just finding its way out of the economy through illegal channels.”
Globally, the alliance says well over half of the world's personal computer users (57%) admit they pirate software.
That includes 31% who say they do it “all of the time”, “most of the time” or “occasionally”, plus another 26% who admit they pirate, but only “rarely”. Fewer than four users in 10 (38%) say they “never” acquire software that is not fully licensed.
BSA says the commercial value of this shadow market of pirated software climbed from $58.8 billion in 2010 to $63 billion in 2011, a new record, propelled by PC shipments to emerging economies where piracy rates are highest.
Emerging economies now account for more than half the global value of PC software theft, $31.9 billion, the alliance says.
On the other hand, public opinion strongly favours IP rights, as seven PC users in 10 support paying innovators for their creations to promote more technology advances.
Nonetheless, Simpson revealed that the rate of software piracy in SA has not changed for quite some time, even though the PC penetration rate has been increasing. Thus, he noted there is little hope that piracy is not getting out of hand.
He also pointed out that the magnitude of software piracy in Africa is bigger than in developed countries, mainly because computing is relatively a new concept on the continent. “The majority of Africans are keen to learn about computers, hence the demand is bigger here.”
Simpson also pointed to poverty as another push factor for piracy in Africa, saying the majority of organisations and individuals on the continent find prices for genuine software products too expensive, thus they resort to purchasing pirated versions.
However, he stressed that poverty cannot be an excuse for theft. “People should learn to live according to their means. Even though I fancy driving a Porsche, I have to remember that I cannot afford it and get something that I can afford.
“The same goes with software; there are different software products with different price tags. Thus, users should always get what they can afford.”
He added that software prices are an economic reality that people should understand.
Simpson also warned individuals and organisations against purchasing pirated software, saying, besides being sub-standard, the practice is also fraught with risks like malware attacks.
Citing the study, he noted that PC users around the world recognise licensed software to be better than pirated software, with 81% saying it is more secure and reliable.
“Purchasing illegitimate software can also tarnish the image of an organisation if it is caught using such products.”
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