You are here: Home » Media Room > News Archive
08/04/2010 11:55:42
A third of computer users in the UK have confessed to using pirated software, according to a new report on illegal downloading. Microsoft's 'Attitudes to Piracy' report shed light on the secret habits of the UK's computer users with London emerging as the UK piracy 'hotspot' after 14% of people said they used pirated software at work. However, more than half (57%) of people said they thought their boss would turn a blind eye to the practice despite the legal ramifications of using illegally downloaded software in the workplace. Julian Swan, director of compliance marketing at the Business Software Alliance (BSA), said: "Businesses have many excuses for not managing software effectively. Cost cutting, ignorance and changes in IT personnel are often cited during legal action. "But the cost of being found using unlicensed software far outweighs any perceived savings. Businesses expose themselves to the risks of fines, reputational damage and data loss if they allow software to be duplicated or downloaded from illegal websites. It may seem like a cost saving but it's a likely cause of major regret." A general disregard for the risks involved in using pirated software such as computer viruses, data loss and identity theft was also apparent after only a third of respondents said they had a good idea of what could go wrong when using illegal software. Copyright © Press Association 2010
In The News
Read what some of our satisfied customers are saying about us.