Piracy of software may be alluring to those who are not familiar with the dangers related to it. It exposes users to unacceptable levels of internet-security risk, including the threat of identity theft and data.
The internet has opened new frontiers in today's increasingly interconnected global economy at the same time it can be used for unsafe purposes. Piracy still remains a main concern for developers as well as authorities as long as the internet remains a central front in the war on piracy and related crimes as the illegal software trade has moved from the streets to online.
Internet threats are a clear and present danger to society, as the potential economic rewards for criminals are enormous and the curtain of anonymity behind which they can hide is equally heavy.
"Intellectual property rights (IPR) is the lifeblood of many economies and a place like the UAE where non-oil sector is playing a key role in driving the economy, protecting IPR rights will be a key part of that diversity. It also undermines the value of intellectual property, which is one of the key drivers of innovation and the way millions of people earn a living," Jawad Al Redha, Business Software Alliance (BSA) Co-Chairman and IPR Manager in the Gulf region, told Gulf News.
Anti-piracy raids have been going on in the region since early 2000. The fact that raids which take place around the region show that the legal framework is in place to make enforcement possible than before.
He said the grey market is strong. The pirates are stealing others' hardwork. So we are trying to educate the customers by holding seminars. So we have an obligation to our legal customers to chase the counterfeits. We are succeeding in combating piracy.
In our capacity as a member of the BSA, he said Microsoft will help governments and private firms to work together to reduce piracy and thereby improve the climate for sustainable economic growth.
Lacking formal systems
The piracy rate in Middle East has been steady at 59 per cent for the past two years with value falling to $2.9 billion in 2009 compared to $3 billion in 2008. In some countries in the region, piracy rate has fallen but the value has risen and vice versa as economic slowdown forced many players to stick on with their existing machines and not go for upgrades.
According to Nader Samaenah, regional licence compliance manager, Adobe Systems Middle East and North Africa, about two-thirds of businesses in the Middle East are putting their operations at risk without adequate systems to manage software licences and renewals.
Quoting an independent research report, he said around 67 per cent of businesses lack formal systems for software asset management and around 80 per cent fail to identify the operational and viral threats to businesses using pirated software.
"Companies in the region understand the risks but too many do not take responsible action to control their software licensing. The malpractice of using unlicensed software has become prevalent in the region, fuelled by the relatively easy availability of pirated versions and a lack of respect for copyright and intellectual property Software is an important and significant investment for businesses in the region and we call for organisations to take its management and control equally seriously," Nader said.
All businesses are requested to conduct a thorough self-audit of their software licence procurement and deployment practices to ensure compliance with vendors licence agreements and local copyright and use laws.
"We believe that education and enforcement together will have a positive future impact on reducing the level of piracy in the UAE, and we hope to begin to see these results in the coming years," he said.
He also explained that the Ministry of Economy's goal in carrying out inspection campaigns in coordination with Microsoft is to strengthen confidence in the local markets and develop a culture of research and development. The latter would encourage creativity and innovation, which are significant contributors to the process of national development.
Al Redha said, "Reducing the piracy rate throughout the UAE is crucial to support the country's economic growth and in this regard we would like to thank the Ministry of Economy and the local authorities for their proactive efforts in combating piracy."
"Global piracy has increased largely because of the unprecedented growth of the IT industry in areas where there are no committed efforts to control piracy. The spread of internet has likewise contributed to the current situation as access to pirated software has moved from the streets to the internet," said Al Redha.
"The UAE Government has been taking a very tough stand against violators of intellectual property rights and BSA has been working closely with the government to ensure that the piracy laws are strictly enforced and businesses understand the risks," said Al Redha.
Al Redha said BSA has been ramping up its efforts in UAE to highlight the risks of unlicensed and illegal software, which could result in operational as well as financial consequences. "As a result of our awareness programmes, and the work of local government, our aim is to decrease the piracy rate, which has stayed at 36 per cent for the past two years," he said.
He said BSA, alongside its members, which include many software companies, and in coordination with the government, has been conducting regular awareness campaigns throughout the UAE, aiming to educate and inform users about the detrimental effects of software piracy, such as data loss and viruses, while highlighting the support, services and security advantages of using original software.
The awareness campaigns target all sectors of business, with the aim of highlighting the risks of illegal and unlicensed software.
Among the new initiatives the BSA introduced recently are roundtables with the government, prosecutors, police and enforcement authorities across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, to discuss various measures to tackle piracy in the region.
"Sustained efforts through supply chain and customer education programmes , realisation of benefits of genuine software can help continue this momentum even during challenging times," Wilson C. Xavier, Business Group Lead, Windows Client, Microsoft Gulf , said.
Good example
"The UAE is a good example for other Arab countries to follow and this is the 13th year in which the country is ranked lowest in the region. The use of the broadband has spread wide, providing more opportunities for pirates to use high-tech solutions," said Al Redha. "Through sustained efforts, we are confident of creating an ever greater impact in the future. In fact, if we can reduce global piracy by 10 points over the next four years, we will be able to generate thousands of new jobs, substantially increase tax revenues and build a stronger economy for all countries," he said.
He said this incremental boost to the economy would add highly skilled jobs to the labour force, support the creation of new companies, and fund public services.
Because most of the benefits accrue to services and channel firms, most of the benefits from lowering piracy stay within the country. For an economy the size of UAE, even this small increment of IT-related employment would have an impact.
Nader urged the public and private sectors to conduct joint campaigns to eradicate piracy.
Consumers can often protect themselves just by using common sense and trusting their instincts. Software security updates, trust marks, and a little homework can make a big difference, too. But the best advice is simply to be aware that illegal software is all too common online, and it is best avoided.
Economies with highest value of pirated software in 2009 (in millions)
United States $8,390
China $7,583
Russia $2,613
France $2,544
Brazil $2,254
By Naushad K. Cherrayil
© Gulf News 2010
