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Microsoft has simultaneously launched education initiatives in more than 70 countries to help protect consumers and increase awareness of the risks of counterfeit software. Named Microsoft Consumer Action Day, the push includes an intellectual property rights education program in schools across China, an originals club for software resellers in Germany, a risk-of-counterfeit training course for the consumer protection authority in Mexico, a children's online safety program in Greece, and a study of piracy's impact on small and midsize businesses in Argentina. Details about these efforts are available at Microsoft.com/HowToTell and (800) RU-LEGIT (785-3448).

In addition to the education initiatives, Microsoft has also improved its engineering and enforcement efforts. On the engineering front, Microsoft has improved the product activation and validation process with Windows Activation Technologies (WAT) in Windows 7.

When it comes to enforcement, Microsoft has invested in nine Product Identification (PID) Analysis Labs around the world where forensic experts use sophisticated tools (such as digital disc fingerprinting and optical manufacturing tracking) to examine counterfeit software. They then provide critical information to local law enforcement agencies, which in turn pursue criminal software counterfeiting syndicates; so far the PID Analysis Labs has led to over 1,000 customs border patrol seizures of counterfeit software in just over two years. Microsoft is also assisting government agencies and law enforcement in more than 300 civil cases.

Most of the enforcement cases Microsoft announced today are a direct result of tips and reports from consumers. In fact, the company has received more than 150,000 voluntary reports in the past two years (more than double the amount of previous records). The software giant says this increase "reflects growing concern for the harm caused by counterfeit software and Microsoft's efforts to give people a voice in the fight against software counterfeiting."

Consumers who are duped by fraudulent software encounter malware (not the majority, but still a significant percentage), lose personal information, risk having their identities stolen, and also waste their time and money. Moreover, most people simply find themselves without the software they thought they were paying for, and are unable to get a refund, so they have to purchase the product again. Just yesterday, we reported that Chinese pirates have started selling Windows 7 on USB disk drives with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's signature.

Source:arstechnica

[Saint Michael]

that's hilarious..........go-china,..... go

[dugdiamond]

No code is unreversible

[fajar]

Go micrososft........goooooo away.......