SIIA Teams Up with UK Anti-Piracy Organization to Strengthen Global Campaign Against Software Piracy

Partnership with Federation Against Software Theft will Intensify Anti-Piracy Operations throughout Europe and U.S.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal association for the software and digital content industries, today announced that it has forged a new alliance with the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST). The partnership agreement will strengthen anti-piracy operations throughout Europe and the U.S. as SIIA and FAST work together to shut down software pirates and address global intellectual property concerns.

"Software piracy is a worldwide epidemic that requires a coordinated and aggressive global solution," said Ken Wasch, president of SIIA. "SIIA and FAST will work together not only to shut down copyright infringers, but to promote better intellectual property regulation and enforcement."

"SIIA conducts the software industry's most aggressive campaign against software piracy," continued Wasch. "In the U.S., our work has led to large settlements, convictions and even jail time. With this partnership, SIIA and FAST will gain new resources for fighting software piracy that extends beyond the borders of each group's home country. Just as software pirates do not operate within traditional geographic borders, neither should the organizations working to put them out of business."

SIIA and FAST have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize their partnership. According to the terms of the agreement, the two organizations will:

• Work together to promote better intellectual property regulation, sharing best practices between the two countries to influence government and policy.
• Support more effective enforcement against those that infringe copyright and IP ownership, with FAST assisting SIIA with corporate and Internet anti-piracy matters taking place within the U.K. or Europe, and SIIA assisting FAST with corporate and Internet anti-piracy matters taking place within the United States.
• Work together with government officials and other policymakers on intellectual property policy matters.
• Collaborate on research and studies that will help identify and shut down software piracy operations worldwide.

"Software piracy does not recognize national legal jurisdictions," said Julian Heathcote Hobbins, general counsel of FAST. "Software piracy is becoming far easier to conduct, so it has never been more important for our organizations to work closer together. While FAST and the SIIA have made significant progress in their respective countries, there is a lot more we can achieve by sharing our knowledge and working together on intellectual property enforcement."

The SIIA Anti-Piracy Division conducts a comprehensive, industry-wide campaign to fight software and content piracy. The proactive campaign is premised on the notion that one must balance enforcement with education in order to be effective. The SIIA Internet and Auction Litigation Program aims to educate online buyers and sellers regarding the risks and harm of buying and selling illegal software, while the Corporate Anti-Piracy Program investigates and stops software and content piracy occurring within an organization. 

During the last four years, SIIA has filed more than 100 lawsuits in the U.S. against illegal online sellers dealing in counterfeit, OEM, academic, region-specific and other illegal software and publications, as well as organizations illegally using software and content.  Defendants have paid millions of dollars in damages, and, in some cases, criminal charges were pursued and defendants sentenced to jail time.  

Sources in the U.S. and in Europe can contact SIIA about a company, Web site or online auction seller's suspicious business practices in three ways:

• E-mail: [email protected]
• Telephone: +1-800-388-7478
• Online: www.siia.net/piracy/report 

For more information about the SIIA Anti-Piracy Division, or to read SIIA's software buying guides, visit the Anti-Piracy Information page.

About SIIA
The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industry. SIIA provides global services in government relations, business development, corporate education and intellectual property protection to more than 500 leading software and information companies. For more information, visit www.siia.net.

About FAST
The Federation Against Software Theft was formed in 1984. FAST is a not-for-profit organisation limited by guarantee and wholly owned by its members. It aims to reduce, restrict and or lessen the incidence of unauthorised dealings in computer software. It works on many fronts to promote software compliance and protect its members' rights through awareness, enforcement, lobbying and promoting standards and best practice in business. For more information, visit http://www.fastiis.org/.

For Immediate Release
SIIA Communications Contact: Laura Greenback, +1.202.789.4461, [email protected] 
PR Agency Contact: Beth Dozier, +1.202.429.1883, [email protected]

SOURCE Software & Information Industry Association

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