BSA gaat achter IRC Warez channels aan

Onze vrienden van de BSA hebben aangekondigd nu ook de warez channels op IRC aan te zullen gaan pakken. Hoe ze dat willen gaan doen mogen ze zelf uit gaan vogelen, hier heb je in ieder geval al wat geleuter uit de press release:

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) today announced it has launched a new initiative aimed at shutting down illegal trafficking in software on the Internet. As part of the initiative, BSA has filed a lawsuit against twenty-five individuals allegedly participating in the "warez4cable" IRC channel, an Internet forum used to traffic in pirated software. This is the first lawsuit ever filed against individuals for pirating software in an IRC channel.

In the past week, under the supervision of U.S. Marshals, BSA carried out unannounced inspections of computer equipment at residences in Sacramento and Downey, CA, and in Troy and West Bloomfield, MI, seizing five computers. Under U.S. law, all twenty-five defendants named in the lawsuit are potentially liable for damages up to $100,000 per copyrighted work infringed.

"Because of the increased access to high-speed connections, piracy in IRC channels is fast becoming one of the most popular ways to traffic in illegal software on the Internet," said Bob Kruger, vice president of enforcement for BSA. "That is why BSA is taking immediate action against this aggressive form of piracy," continued Kruger.

The lawsuit results from months of intensive investigation by BSA's Online Investigative Unit. By using a special subpoena procedure created by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act enacted by Congress in 1998, BSA was able to identify the individuals named in the suit and take legal action against them. The lawsuit adds a new dimension to BSA's Internet anti-piracy campaign that to date has involved the shutting down of thousands of warez web sites and working closely with law enforcement to promote criminal prosecutions.

"This lawsuit is part of BSA's on-going campaign to keep the Internet from becoming a safe haven for the conduct of software piracy," said Kruger. "Anyone who thinks that they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet to commit copyright infringement had better know that the law gives them no quarter," continued Kruger.