Knowing that the original price of “Windows 11 Home” on the Microsoft website is sold for IDR 2,999,999, but on the well-known e-commerce in Indonesia, it can be found for only IDR 20,000, complete with the promise of an activation key that is valid forever. What’s even crazier is that this high price disparity opens up opportunities for other fraudsters to sell pirated software at various prices, from hundreds of thousands of rupiah to millions, which, of course, can deceive buyers who intend to buy genuine products but are constrained by a limited budget.
However, if you are used to buying original or branded products with a large price difference from the original, you will understand that something is wrong. Yes, of course, it can be suspected that the product being sold cheaper is not genuine, used, or even stolen.
Just like using pirated or stolen products, there are several big risks if we continue to use pirated software. Want to know more?
Here are 7 disadvantages of using pirated software:
- Fostering Illegal Activities
Software piracy is a violation of Copyright Law and can lead to hefty fines or even jail time, primarily if you use it for commercial purposes without permission or reproduce and distribute it unlawfully. There have been many instances where software companies go after those who use the software illegally for commercial purposes. - Security Risks
Pirated software often comes from untrusted sources and may contain malware or viruses that can harm your computer and steal your data. - Lack of Updates
You won’t receive security updates or bug fixes for pirated software, leaving your system vulnerable to attacks. - No Technical Support
If you encounter problems with pirated software, you won’t have access to customer support from the software developer. - Harms Software Development
Software piracy reduces software developers’ revenue, making investing harder in research and development of new and improved software. This condition will undoubtedly worsen the growth of innovation in our country. - Damaging Your Image
Imagine if you are in the middle of an important presentation and, while sharing the screen, a notification appears that your laptop’s operating system needs to be revised. Of course, this would create a wrong impression for you and your company. Clients would also judge that you do not uphold Intellectual Property. - Inhibiting Foreign Investment
It is common knowledge that Indonesia is still on the list of world countries with serious Intellectual Property violations (along with Argentina, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, and Venezuela), as released by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the 2023 Priority Watch List Special 301 Report.
Overall, the bads of software piracy far outweigh the goods. There are many affordable and legal software options available, and the risks associated with piracy are simply not worth it.
If you require further information regarding the software protection, Copyright recordation or Patent registration in Indonesia and abroad, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at [email protected].
