The cost to software companies reached $121 million in 2007.
The Fifth Annual Piracy Study by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) and International Data Corporation (IDC) for 2007 finds that a third of software in Israel is pirated, the same level as in 2006. Piracy rates in Israel are higher than in the US, UK, and Japan.
The study found a 20% increase in financal damage caused to software manufacturers operating in Israel as the result of piracy, to $121 million in 2007 from $102 million in 2006.
The BSA/IDC study found that 38% of the software installed in 2006 on personal computers worldwide was obtained illegally in 2007 compared with 35% in 2006. The financial damage rose to $48 billion from $39.5 billion.
Naomi Assia & Co. Law Offices and Notary represents the BSA in Israel. Naomi Assia said that the situation in Israel was especially dire among small businesses and enterprises, as well as home businesses, where the piracy rate was very high.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 15, 2008
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