Just some facts. Be sure not to miss all the dollar signs, and oh, up to five
years in jail.
Penalties for Software Piracy
What are the penalties for pirating software?
The Copyright Act allows a copyright owner to recover monetary
damages measured either by: (1) actual damages plus any additional
profits of the infringer attributable to the infringement, or (2) statutory
damages, of up to $150,000 for
each copyrighted work infringed.
The copyright owner also has the right to permanently enjoin an infringer
from engaging in further infringing activities and may be awarded costs
and attorneys' fees. The law also permits destruction or other reasonable
disposition of all infringing copies and devices by which infringing copies
have been made or used in violation of the copyright owner's exclusive
rights. In cases of willful infringement, criminal penalties may also be
assessed against the infringer.
***
What are the maximum civil penalties for copyright infringement?
In the United States, the violator is liable for damages suffered by the
copyright owner, plus any of the infringer's profits that are attributable to
the copying, or statutory damages of up to $150,000 for each work
harmed.
What are the maximum criminal penalties for copyright infringement?
In the US, the infringer could be fined up to $250,000 and face a jail term
of up to five years. Do people actually go to jail for this? Yes, they do.
And this one is just funny.. painfully funny.. listen close
they're refering to idiots, people that think ignorance is bliss
Is ignorance of the fact that your acts are illegal a defense?
Copyright law does not require the person committing the violation, or
responsible for the violation, be aware that their actions are in violation of
law. The absence of knowledge -- or even intent -- does not excuse the
violation and is not a defense in a copyright infringement law suit.
This isn't the show on television called "Scare Tactics", oddly enough, this
is reality. And if you can afford these types of fines, and a little jail time,
then by all means, keep it up.
Not my opinion, this is how it is..
http://www.siia.net/piracy/faq.asp#Penalties
Please try to keep comments about US Law to a minimum, at least
until you have learned who Interpol is.. and how they play their role
in protecting the laws of all of our countries. There is a link below.
This particular area of crime covers an array of offences from Trade
Mark and Patent Right infringements, to software piracy, and affects a
vast product range from medicines to air craft and vehicle spare parts,
from clothing to music CDs and computer software.
http://www.interpol.com/public/Financia ... efault.asp
- np