UK Has Big Software Piracy Problems Says BSA Report

The extent of the software piracy issue in the United Kingdom was highlighted in the sixth annual BSA-IDC global software piracy study.

Around 27 percent of software installed in the country are pirated, which is much higher than in the US (20 percent), on par with Germany but way smaller than France (41 percent). Georgia remains the undisputed piracy champion with a staggering 95 percent of pirated applications.

Overall though, the piracy rate in the UK has stabilised at around 27 percent over the past five years although its monetary value has shot up from $1837 to $2181 (adjusted to $1997 due to exchange rate fluctuations) from 2007 to 2008. This, according to the Business Software Alliance (BSA), amounts to a not-so insignificant £1.49 billion.

The anti-piracy organisation has stepped up its campaign to reduce piracy by offering money to those who would denounce companies and firms which indulge in piracy. Furthermore, there are claims that software piracy could damage UK's chances of becoming a technology powerhouse.

Alyna Cope, a spokesperson for the BSA UK, said that : “Much more needs to be done by the industry and government to warn businesses and consumers of the risks associated with under-licensed software. The government must also warn businesses and consumers of the risks associated with under-licensed software from a legal, financial and operational point of view,”

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