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SIIA Announces Content Piracy Case Settlement
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Michigan Firm Reprinted Articles for Recognition Displays
Washington, DC -- The Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal trade association for the software and content industries, today announced that it has settled the copyright infringement claims it pursued against In the Know, Incorporated, in exchange for a five-figure sum and cooperation by the company in a proactive internal program to help avoid future infringement.
In the Know, Inc. a small business located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, manufactures custom-designed reprints and plaques. SIIA learned of the infringement though a confidential tip and a subsequent investigation verified its reliability.
"In the Know is a reputable business that made a very costly mistake," said SIIA Litigation Counsel Scott Bain. "We are pleased with the settlement and hope that it alerts other users of copyrighted content to the importance of securing proper licenses, even for internal copying and distribution."
Through its Corporate Content Anti-Piracy (CCAP) Program, SIIA pursues cases of copyright infringement of members’ content that are taking place by or within an organization. This content includes text-based publications like articles in newspapers, magazines and newsletters, books – whether in traditional print or made available online. As shown by cases like this one, infringement of these copyrighted works represents a significant problem for content companies -- one that they have urged SIIA to address through its CCAP program. The settlement with In The Know, Inc. represents the latest victory in SIIA’s aggressive efforts and industry leadership in fighting content and software piracy.
"Companies that copy or distribute content without permission of the copyright owner or the law put themselves at significant risk – not only financially, but also to their reputation in the business community," said Keith Kupferschmid, Senior Vice President of Intellectual Property Policy & Enforcement for SIIA. "Sooner or later, companies that copy or distribute content illegally are going to get caught. That’s when they discover that their choice – which they thought would cut expenses – has ended up as a very costly business decision."
SIIA offers rewards ranging from $500 to $1 million to eligible individuals who report infringement by a corporation or other organization. Individuals interested in learning more about the reward program, or submitting a piracy report, can do so through SIIA's hotline at 800.388.7478 or SIIA's online Piracy Report Form at www.siia.net/piracy/report.
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