Microsoft Corp joined the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in recognising World Intellectual Property (IP) Day, an event that calls on the IT industry, governments and consumers to speak out about the importance of IP rights. Strong IP protections are central to instilling a culture of innovation, which can spur economic growth, create jobs and increase revenue for the broader industry and government organisations.
Microsoft believes that the global arena needs stronger IP protections in place to safeguard the industry's ability to innovate, level the playing field for small businesses, and help local governments generate tax revenue through the legitimate sale and trade of genuine software.
"In addition to strengthening the economy, sound IP policies can help reduce software piracy and counterfeiting, which we know sap government resources, threaten legitimate businesses and expose consumers to the risks that come from using non-genuine software," said David Finn, associate general counsel for World-wide Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting at Microsoft.
"Software piracy and counterfeiting tend to thrive in places with weak IP protection, and this has an enormous, and negative impact on the global economy, he added." According to a study commissioned by the International Chamber of Commerce in 2011,the global economic and social impacts of counterfeiting and piracy will reach US $1.7 trillion by 2015 and put 2.5 million legitimate jobs at risk each year. "Microsoft invests heavily in technologies, education and enforcement programmes to make software piracy more difficult, and we will continue to push for effective IP regulations on behalf of consumers and businesses, said Finn."-PR