SIIA / Adobe catches 8 piracy operatives

Red Dwarf · **Joined:** Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:01 am **Posts:** 9227

For Immediate Release Oct 6, 2010
SIIA Communications Contact: John Crosby, 202.789.4469
PR Agency Contact: Beth Dozier, 202.429.1883

SIIA Catches Eight Online Software Piracy Operations, Files Lawsuits

Defendants Allegedly Sold Unauthorized Copies of Adobe Products on eBay and Other Online Channels

Washington, D.C. (October 6, 2010) The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, today announced the filing of eight new software piracy lawsuits on behalf of SIIA member Adobe Systems Incorporated.

As part of SIIA’s Internet and Auction Litigation Program, SIIA filed this latest round of lawsuits against various online sellers after investigating their actions on eBay and other websites. According to the lawsuits, the sellers illegally sold Adobe software, including counterfeit, and/or academic or OEM software without proper authorization.

“In order to defend our members’ businesses and protect innocent consumers, SIIA operates the industry’s most aggressive anti-piracy program,” said Scott Bain, Chief Litigation Counsel and Director of Internet Anti-Piracy for SIIA. “We continually monitor online auctions and websites so we can identify unauthorized sellers, shut them down and bring them to justice. We expect these lawsuits to result in significant penalties for the sellers.”

Red Dwarf · **Joined:** Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:01 am **Posts:** 9227

Quote:

The ‘Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act” Will Equip DOJ with Tools to
Thwart Online Piracy at Home & Abroad

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 20, 2010) The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the
principal trade association for the software and digital content industries, today applauded Sens.
Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) for introducing legislation that will strengthen the
U.S. government’s ability to combat software and content piracy.

The bi-partisan bill, “Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act,” introduced today,
would allow the Department of Justice to bring in rem actions against domain names used on
websites to sell pirated and counterfeit goods. Additionally, if the court issues an order allowing
the Department of Justice to enjoin the use of the domain name, the Department can serve the
order on an Internet service provider (ISP), domain name registrar, financial transaction provider,
or advertising placement service to stop them from transacting business with domain names that
peddle pirated goods.

Cue the civii rights and the screeching freedom of speech brigades

AlphaCentauri · **Joined:** Thu Mar 01, 2007 3:01 am **Posts:** 5915

We have clearly overlooked a potential ally:

"Report piracy here and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $1 million. "
http://www.siia.net/piracy/report/report.asp

ADD: Looking further, the reward only applies for whistleblowers reporting large corporations using unlicensed software, not websites selling it.

Red Dwarf · **Joined:** Tue Jun 27, 2006 2:01 am **Posts:** 9227

That reporting address has been in Complainterator for some time now. It was introduced back at V 22.16 (Dec 2009)

piracy@siia.net,piracy@autodesk.com,piracy@apple.com,nopiracy@corel.com,
tip@macromedia.com,piracy@microsoft.com,piracy@symantec.com

Should Complainterator users be claiming the reward anyway?

trobbins · **Joined:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 6:55 pm **Posts:** 2549

Red Dwarf wrote:

Should Complainterator users be claiming the reward anyway?

I would say not as an individual, but as a group, then put the money back into the system
to further internet crime investigation done by individual volunteers.

AlphaCentauri · **Joined:** Thu Mar 01, 2007 3:01 am **Posts:** 5915

Unfortunately, I'm sure the reason the reward is only available to whistleblowers is that the SIIA can go to the large corporation which is making the unlicensed copies of their members' software and collect the royalties+penalties, then share part of what they collect with the reporter. The website has a grid with what the reward would be, based on how much they collect.

Totally illegal operations aren't going to pay the royalties in order to stay in business. The only recourse with them is criminal penalties, and that doesn't produce any money to share.

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SIIA / Adobe catches 8 piracy operatives

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