The Business Software Alliance, an international organization bringing together leading computer software manufacturers, has launched the next stage of the “Time to Legalize Software” campaign. Business owners will be encouraged to check the legality of their company’s IT assets. In the materials sent by mail, they will receive clear instructions on how to properly verify the software they possess.
The first stage of the campaign involved publishing advertisements in the press and on the Internet informing that possessing illegal computer programs is a crime, and the computer on which they are installed can serve as material evidence in criminal proceedings. The goal of the advertisements was to raise awareness of the problem, while the second stage of the BSA campaign is intended to encourage entrepreneurs to independently verify the legality of their IT assets.
– We are pleased with the increased effectiveness of the police and the detection rate of this type of crime. On the other hand, the value of illegal computer programs uncovered by the police last month shows the scale of the computer piracy problem in Poland – says Bartłomiej Witucki, BSA spokesperson in Poland. In September, in Złotoryja (Lower Silesian Voivodeship), the police seized an illegal computer design program worth over 3 million PLN. Meanwhile, in Warsaw, a training company conducting computer courses was found to be using illegal commercial software worth approximately 300,000 PLN. According to police estimates, a total of 70 computers were seized, and the value of all illegal programs uncovered in September amounted to at least 14,353,231 PLN.
– The BSA wants to help entrepreneurs organize the state of software in their company, which is why it is contacting business owners across Poland and providing a solution: a software inventory table along with instructions. Filling it out will help entrepreneurs realize whether they are using illegal software. If so, they should immediately proceed to legalize the software they possess – adds Witucki.
The goal of the campaign is to make computer users, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, aware of the serious consequences of using illegal copies of computer software. Meeting the needs of entrepreneurs, the BSA has made available on its website at www.bsa.org/polska a software management guide, a licensing guide, a template for an employee agreement, a software inventory form, and a list of software audit service providers.
To protect the company from severe consequences of criminal and civil liability, the BSA recommends implementing IT asset management procedures:
- Company management and the IT department should gain full control over their IT assets.
- It should be determined whether the company holds licenses for all programs installed on computers. The best method to check if we are using applications in accordance with the law is a software legality audit.
- Clear rules for purchasing and registering software should be introduced. Inventory is the first step a company should take to gain full control over its IT assets. The next step should be creating rules that ensure access to an always up-to-date list of software.
- It is recommended to introduce agreements with employees. Employees should be familiarized with software usage rules, and agreements should be signed defining the responsibility of employees regarding compliance with the company’s established software usage procedures.
- Responsibility for software is important. The best solution is to designate a person responsible for purchasing programs, their installation, and supervision over the software used.