BSA strings up Belfast pirates

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has announced settlements with two Belfast-based companies for using unlicensed software.

Both legal cases, which included the businesses purchasing additional software to ensure future compliance, cost the firms more than £15,000.

Radio station owner Northern Media Group Limited was found to be using unlicensed copies of Microsoft and Adobe software at some of its newly acquired stations.

As a result, a settlement of £2,500 was agreed with the BSA, but the business admitted liability and paid in excess of £10,000 for legal software.

Ballyforde Ltd, trading as EDA Media, was also exposed for using unlicensed software, including Adobe Creative Suite. The firm came to a £1,000 settlement with the BSA and further legal costs for failing to adequately manage its software assets.

Ballyforde admitted to under-licensing and purchased new licences to the tune of nearly £3,000. It also reinstated its commitment to full compliance in the future.

Alyna Cope, member of the BSA UK Country Committee, said: “These cases highlight the repercussions of failing to properly manage software licensing. Disregarding intellectual property laws to chase cost savings in the short term will always lead to more harm than good.

“Neither companies were criminal in their intentions, but they demonstrate that a relaxed approach to software licensing is nearly always followed by added expense and hassle further down the line.”