Design groups to be quizzed in piracy policy

The Business Software Alliance is to target 20 000 small to medium-sized companies in a new campaign against unlicensed computer software.

BSA European director of marketing Clare O’Brien says that up to 15 per cent of the companies coming into contact with the organisation via its hotline operate in the graphics industry, mostly as designers or printers.

Small to medium-sized businesses are among the worst culprits”, for use of unlicensed software, she adds. The BSA, which represents software publishers, will not reveal how it has chosen the 20 000 companies in question.

Each will each be sent a “mini-audit” questionnaire, says O’Brien. The organisation has a high publicity policy, intended to shame users of illegal software into complying with the law.