BSA | The Software Alliance
Yes, You can fight the BSA
If you have either recently received a demand letter from the BSA | The Software Alliance (BSA) demanding payment in connection with the alleged unlicensed use of software or you are worried you are about to, we can help.
You cannot just ignore the BSA’s demands and hope for the best. If you do, lawyers and police may seize your computers (as they execute the equivalent of a search warrant) and you might discover that you have a very large fine to pay.
While the BSA exists for a good purpose, and while software piracy is a serious issue, in our view, you may find their approach to be quite aggressive, leaving you uncertain if you have any option but to agree to their demands.
The BSA claims on its website that they can seek damages of $20,000 per piece of software downloaded or copied without permission. However, this does not need to be the likely outcome in most situations.
No court will ever penalize you for retaining counsel to assert your rights. Counsel can help demonstrate that penalties should be substantially less than $20,000 per infringement and can help make your case one where these lesser penalties, if any, are the ones that are paid.
If you have been contacted by the BSA or if you have infringed copyright and it has been brought to the attention of the BSA, there will be some consequences, but there is no reason you have to accept the BSA’s demands. There are options. There are better outcomes available. We can help you find them.
We have experience fighting the BSA. We have done so for over 10 years. We can help you to get the best possible deal.
The Truth about Adobe Systems Incorporated v. Dale Thompson DBA Appletree Solutions and The Business Software Alliance
For those who have received a demand letter from the business software alliance, here is something you should know.
In our experience, the BSA has referred to the Appletree case (Adobe Systems Incorporated v. Dale Thompson DBA Appletree Solutions) to try to convince people that resisting the BSA’s demands can be a costly mistake. In this case, almost $340,000 in damages were awarded to the BSA because of software piracy.
In our opinion, the Appletree case is not to be feared. The reality is that there were a very specific set of facts at play in Appletree [Read More]
Software Piracy
Software piracy is the illegal copying, distribution and possession of copyrighted software without a license or permission of the owner of the authorized source. The Canadian Parliament amended the Canadian Copyright Act in 1988 to expressly include computer software programs in the definition of literary work, which clearly confirmed that software is entitled to copyright protection. The Canadian Copyright Act prohibits making unauthorized copies of software programs without the consent of the copyright owner. The Act also makes it an offence to knowingly produce, distribute, rent, or import for sale infringing copies of computer software. The Act was amended and modernized in 2012 to further strengthen these rights and remedies.
The Canadian Copyright Act can be found here: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-42/
BSA has a brief outline of software piracy and Canadian law here: http://www.bsa.org/~/media/Files/Antipiracy/enCA/CanadaKnowtheLaw.ashx
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