End-Users of Pirate Software to be PunishedEnd-users who use pirate software or licensed software illegally will be punished by the state, according to officials with the National Copyright Administration. "End-user" refers to a user who doesn't use licensed software product as model for copy and publishing.Software developing and producing organizations would be punished if they use and develop unlicensed products to obtain added value or make profits, and they may be fined for a sum two to five times of the price of licensed software. According to Guangming Daily, punishment for those users would chiefly take the form of education, which is quite different from the harsh penalty imposed on organizations and individuals producing and selling relevant products. Since this year the state has taken a series of measures for software protection, including improving copyright registration, promoting licensed software and striking harder on piracy. The Administration has urged group users to give financial support to licensed software and will make regular check-ups on software market. By PD Online staff member Li Heng |
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