According to the Business Software Alliance (BSA) which is the leading advocate for the global software industry before governments and in the international marketplace, about 36 % of all software in current use is stolen. Software piracy has continued to be a big threat to the software industry worldwide. It has also been causing billions of loss revenue in the economy.
Not being able to afford a legal copy of a software does not justify the use of pirated ones. It is not right and it is not ethical. Furthermore, there is a risk that the pirated ones are prone to malwares and virus attacks that can lead to data theft and losses. Unfortunately however, the use of pirated software is very common in the Philippines. The software companies should find ways to make the legal copies affordable and accessible. It is also a good strategy to already install and incorporate the cost of the commonly used software in the pricing of the hardware. The software companies should continue its alliance to fight against software piracy and make representations to the various governments worldwide. In the Philippines, there are already laws against piracy however, there is a need to for its strict implementation and monitoring to ensure that the pirated software is removed from the market.
Vivian Manuel Canonero 