14 DAY TRIAL // Everybody knows that it's illegal to install pirated or unlicensed content on your system especially if you're a company based on computer activities. That's why it's always recommended to buy licenses and pay for the software you install or else you may get caught and forced to pay a huge fine. But how do you get caught and who decides if you must be fined or not? Well, it's the Business Software Alliance that fights for owners' copyright so in case you use somebody's application without approval, you're in deep trouble. As Brian Bergstein of AP reports, you can choose between the hard and easy way. Most companies choose the easy one because it ends quicker and with a few losses. But let me describe you the procedure.
Mr. Bergstein wrote that most cases start from employees who inform the BSA that a certain company uses pirated software or bought fewer licenses than the number of computers. "Next, a law firm representing the alliance will send the company a letter informing its management that it is suspected of violating software copyrights, a crime that carries penalties of up to $150,000 per infringed work," the AP writer explains.
As I mentioned above, the BSA will inform the companies that it wants to resolve the case without going to court but the firms have to collaborate and provide information about the internal systems and about the licenses bought for the installed software. After they receive the information they requested, the BSA will demand certain fines and penalties for the illegal applications installed, lawyers and other fees.
"At that point, it's mainly a matter of settling on the amount and negotiating whether BSA can publicize the crackdown in a news release," Brian Bergstein continued.
In case the companies choose to do it on the hard way, they go to court but they have all the chances to lose the lawsuit since they were caught with unlicensed applications installed on their computers.