201905.10
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Resolution of Liability in BSA Settlement Agreements

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The Business Software Alliance (BSA) hunts down and audits companies when it receives information that those companies may have software products that are not properly licensed. If a company audited by the BSA is found to have more installations of software products than is reflected in its licensing documentation, it is generally more cost effective…

201708.14
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11 Software Audit Best Practices

Robert J. Scott, Ground Report It is important to prepare in case a software vendor sends you an email or letter asking for an audit. Not being prepared ends up in loss of money and takes away time from productive work. This article gives you 11 very useful best practices on how to prepare for an…

201609.15
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Most U.S. Businesses Should Co-Operate With BSA Audit Demands…To A Point

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An article published by a U.K. business journal suggested that U.K. businesses should refuse to co-operate with demands by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) for information regarding BSA-member software installations and licenses. The article’s sources appear to base their suggestions on a combination of personal experience and, perhaps, assumptions about the BSA’s operating procedures in…

201604.15
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Unbundling Software Suites in BSA | The Software Alliance Audits

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One of the most controversial tactics the BSA uses when calculating its settlement demands is its practice of unbundling software suites such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite. Unbundling occurs when the target of a BSA audit is unable to provide acceptable proof of purchase for one or more installation of a software suite….

201602.01
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What You Need to Know if You Receive a Letter from BSA | The Software Alliance

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Preparing the BSA Audit Materials BSA | The Software Alliance’s primary enforcement tool is to send a threatening letter indicating that an investigation has commenced and offering to forego litigation if the target company provides a self-audit. A self-audit consists of a listing of all BSA member software running on a company’s computer networks, appropriate…

201601.01
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When to Seek Help for a BSA | The Software Alliance Audit

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Many companies choose to pursue an internal audit of software systems after receiving a request from the Business Software Alliance (BSA). When it comes to deciding how to proceed with an audit, there are multiple considerations, including, but not limited to, the size of the company, amount of computers, type of software at issue, IT…

201201.30
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Courts May Refuse to Compel the BSA | The Software Alliance and Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) to Identify Their Informants

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On January 12, 2012, the D.C. Court of Appeals held that the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) would not be required to disclose the name of one of its confidential informants in a civil case for defamation. Solers, Inc. had filed its lawsuit against a John Doe defendant for defamation after it resolved a…

200907.01
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Program Pirates: Steering Clear of Software Audits

Christopher Danzig, Inside Counsel, 7/1/2009 Imagine you head a small company, with just a few dozen employees and computers. One day you receive a letter from a software industry trade group, such as the Business Software Alliance (BSA) or the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), informing you that it knows your company has unlicensed…