FAST pledges to back piracy push

Anti-piracy group to ramp up support for Trading Standards enforcement activities

Anti-piracy group to ramp up support for Trading Standards enforcement activities

The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) has pledged its ongoing support to the Trading Standards Institute's (TSI) anti-piracy efforts, despite fears that spending cuts could curb its enforcement activities.

In April 2007, TSI was granted powers and funding by the government to en­force legislation contained within section 107A of the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.

TSI president Baroness Crawley wrote to local councils last month to voice concerns about the impact public spending cuts could have on the organisation's ability to enforce such legislation.

It said: "Trading Stan­dards is being asked to take on more responsibility than ever and it can only do that where front-line [resources] are sustained, not scaled back."

FAST has since vowed to step up its support throughout 2011 in helping local TSI groups clamp down on rogue software traders and users in their areas.

John Lovelock (pictured), chief exe­cutive of FAST, said the Federation will be helping TSI groups get to grips with piracy and educate end users about software misuse.

"In many cases, businesses are misusing software unwittingly," he said. "Tra­ding Standards groups are facing massive cuts and we will work with them to ensure this education continues."

The organisation teamed up earlier this year with local TSI groups and laun­ched its largest education campaign in the North West of England last week.