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UK's software piracy rate 'steady'

May 17, 2010

Although the commercial value of the pirated software installed in the UK reached £1 billion in 2009, the country recorded one of the lowest piracy rates in the world, a survey has found.

The Business Software Alliance's (BSA) seventh annual global software piracy study found that at 95%, Georgia had the highest rate of piracy last year, while the UK registered the sixth lowest at 27%.

The growth in the use of netbook computers has been partly credited for keeping the piracy figures in a steady state during the recession, as such machines pack legitimate pre-installed software.

Currently, netbook sales account for as much as 20% of the overall software market.

Michala Wardell, chair of the BSA UK Committee, said: "Although the UK has one of the lowest piracy rates in the world, 27% is nothing to be proud of.

"As we emerge from the most severe global economic recession in twenty years, we will continue to engage with government, businesses and consumers about the risks of stealing software - and the true impact that software piracy has on the UK's economy."

According to the study of 100 countries, the US, Japan and Luxembourg had the lowest piracy rates - while Georgia, Zimbabwe and Moldova witnessed the highest.

Copyright © Press Association 2010

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