BSA takes two London-based companies to court for alleged software licensing infringements
Anti-piracy body takes action against two London businesses for alleged wrong doing, while pursuing more than 100 others in the UK
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The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is taking two companies accused of allegedly using illegal software to court and investigating more than 100 other UK companies suspected of similar activity as it continues to aggressively clamp down on wrong doers.
The BSA today revealed that it has started High Court proceedings against two London-based companies for allegedly running unlicensed software, predominantly Microsoft Office, on a combined total of 148 machines.
One of the alleged perpetrators is a Harrow-based global teleconferencing provider, the other a solicitors based in Tooting Broadway, proving that no companies are above the law when it comes to using unlicensed software, whether knowingly-so or not.
Figures from researcher IDC suggest that more than a quarter (27 per cent) of business software currently in use in this country is illegal, equating to global industry losses totaling more than 1 billion.
A reduction in pirate activity of just 10 per cent would generate an additional 2.8 billion in tax revenue as well as 34,000 new jobs, further highlighting a serious issue the BSA is desperately trying to remedy.
"The BSA takes a hard line against the blatant disregard of software licensing regulations," said Sarah Coombes, director of legal affairs for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at the BSA.
"The BSA and its members are happy to advise and work with companies that need guidance with regard to software licensing and help them through the compliance process, so there is no excuse. Those who deliberate use illegal software and consistently refuse to comply can expect to face serious consequences."
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Maggie has been a journalist since 1999, starting her career as an editorial assistant on then-weekly magazine Computing, before working her way up to senior reporter level. In 2006, just weeks before ITPro was launched, Maggie joined Dennis Publishing as a reporter. Having worked her way up to editor of ITPro, she was appointed group editor of CloudPro and ITPro in April 2012. She became the editorial director and took responsibility for ChannelPro, in 2016.
Her areas of particular interest, aside from cloud, include management and C-level issues, the business value of technology, green and environmental issues and careers to name but a few.
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