Lawsuits Target Software Pirates On Ebay

Software makers have filed a set of lawsuits against individuals suspected of selling pirated or unlicensed software on Internet auction sites such as eBay. Software industry representatives, who estimate that $11 to $12 billion is lost annually to piracy, believe that 90 percent of software sold on auction sites violated copyright or licensing agreements. McAfee and Symantec, the two leading makers of antivirus software, have filed lawsuits against several individuals from around the country. Officials from the Software and Information Industry Association said they plan to file batches of lawsuits monthly against individuals selling software illegally. At this point, the suits do not target the auction service or individuals who purchase software from suspected pirates. A spokesperson from eBay said that although the company recognizes the illicit sale of software as a concern, they do not see it as “a big problem.”

Silicon Valley, 16 May 2006