BSA Starts Dob-In-A-Pirate Campaign

  • Win a trip to Caribbean by dobbing in software pirates
  • Will run until the end of September
  • Get $2000 spending money too

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has launched of a consumer-focused initiative entitled “Capture a Pirate, Claim the Caribbean” in an effort to reduce software piracy in Australia. A global first for the organisation, this interactive quiz informs Australian consumers about the risks and consequences of software piracy and encourages them to report on any business software piracy they may have seen in the workplace for a chance to win return flights for two to a destination of their choice in the Caribbean as well as $2000 spending money.

The competition is hosted on the BSA’s Facebook page and will be open until midnight September 28, 2011. Entrants are asked to answer five questions about software piracy for their chance at claiming the Caribbean. Entrants also have the option to proceed to the BSA Australia website to report cases of business software piracy that they may be aware of. Reports that lead to a successful legal case can also attract a reward of up to AU$5,000.

In 2010, the percentage of unlicensed software installed in Australia fell to 24 percent, down from 25 percent in 2009. The “Capture a pirate, Claim the Caribbean” initiative aims to continue this trend through 2011 and has been designed to inform Australians about the risks and consequences of pirating software, while also educating Australians on some of the lesser known facts about business software piracy

 “There are a lot of misconceptions about software piracy, and the “Capture a Pirate, Claim the Caribbean” competition will help people better understand the issue in a new, fun and interactive way,” said BSA Co-Chair Clayton Noble of Microsoft. “Software piracy is an issue that has flow on effects for many businesses and individuals in Australia, and around the world. We hope that by launching the “Capture a Pirate, Claim the Caribbean” competition, people will become more engaged with the issue and with the BSA.”