Third Of Brits Happy To Use Pirated Software

One in three British adults considers using pirated software to be “acceptable”, according to Microsoft’s recent Attitudes to Piracy report.

Of the 1,000 respondents to the survey, one in eight admitted to using pirated software at work, and more than half believed their employer would consider the practice acceptable.

“Businesses have many excuses for not managing software effectively. Cost cutting, ignorance and changes in IT personnel are often cited during legal action,” said Julian Swan, director of compliance marketing at the Business Software Alliance. “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.”

Overlooking the risks

Despite this, two thirds of those surveyed said they had a poor understanding of the risks associated with using illegally obtained software. Meanwhile, 62 percent said they had suffered a computer virus as a result of using pirated software, and 31 percent said they had lost personal data.

“People need to understand that there are inherent risks to their own security, including identity theft, from using pirated software products,” warned Susie Winter, director general of the Alliance Against IP Theft. “They can often be the victim of others’ criminal actions, such as an employer using pirated software in the workplace.”

The news comes amid ongoing debate on the government’s Digital Economy Bill, which is likely to be pushed through as part of the “wash-up” ahead of the General Election. During House of Commons Business yesterday, Harriet Harman rejected calls from Labour, Tory and Lib Dem MPs for the Bill to be delayed till the next Parliament for a fuller debate.

If passed, the Digital Economy Bill could oblige Internet service providers to disconnect illegal file-sharers, and give politicians the power to amend copyright law. It has been widely disputed by MPs and political parties including the UK Pirate Party, ISPs such as BT and TalkTalk, and industry groups, including the Open Rights Group (ORG) and campaigning organisation 38 Degrees.

Could legislation protect copyright owners?

However, there are those that support the bill and its move to protect the digital rights of musicians and copyright owners. A survey conducted by UK recorded music industry group BPI in December 2009 found that levels of illegal file-sharing were not declining, despite the government crackdown and significant media coverage on the issue.

“There are now more than 35 legal digital music services in the UK, offering music fans a great choice of ways to get music legally,” said BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor. “The growth in other, non-P2P methods of downloading music illegally is a concern, and highlights the importance of including a mechanism in the Digital Economy Bill to deal with threats other than P2P.”

The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) has also voiced its support for the Bill. “People see software piracy as a victimless crime, but it robs organisations of their legitimate revenue to invest in new products, employees of their livelihood, and the government of taxable income from sales which all UK citizens benefit from eventually.” said FAST CEO John Lovelock.

Following Microsoft’s Attitudes to Piracy report, the company’s head of anti-piracy Michala Wardelladded her thoughts. “The government’s Digital Economy Bill is a reflection of how serious the issue of piracy has become,” she said. “As people continue to spend more and more time online, we think it’s important to ensure people understand the dangers associated with this type of activity so they can better protect themselves.”