P2P Funneling Online Piracy

The peer-to-peer (P2P) model for swapping content, services, and software tools is alarmingly increasing the online piracy practice. Concerned over copyright infringement and security issues - Business Software Alliance (BSA) is all set to focus its efforts on this issue.

"P2P is becoming a real problem for us in thjis region as far as Internet piracy is concerned. Over 90 per cent of illegal downloads have come via the P2P way and this is alarmingly increasing," explains, Tarun Sawney, Director - Anti Piracy, Asia, BSA.

The capability of Internet to create an inter-connecting fabric for seamless communication is helping the earstwhile online gamers and ametuers into online pirates. Websites like - www.edonkey.com, www.fastrack.com and www.directconnect.com make things even better.
"During the past recent months, we have seen at least 138 cases of infringement coming from India alone. This figure didn't exist a couple of years back. That's why we want to focus on India to educate people about online piracy and its harm to the overall industry," he added.

Powered by the electronic commerce capabilities - amateur software professionals are using web based auction sites for online piracy practice as different versions of pirated software packages are found listed on websites like US based www.ebay.com or Indian auction success story www.baazee.com .

"Though these websites are being used by many as a way to provide pirated version of software. We have received all the support from these websites. Recently we pointed out seven such cases to Baazee.com and it immidiately took action against the concerned party. Same is the case with eBay or other auction sites," Sawney explained.

To counter this problem of P2P based online piracy - BSA has devised a strategy to send �Take Down Notice' against the websites that contain pirated software copies. "We can pinpoint a particular IP address that is facilitating a P2P illegal software download and then go to the concerned ISP with a Take down notice. We have done it in the past and it is turning out to be a good way to curb this problem," he added.