SIIA Targets Market Research Firm for Infringement
The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has targeted a market research firm for allegedly copying and distributing copyrighted content from 130 magazines, newspapers, research reports and other publications without rightsholder consent. Negotiations between the two parties are ongoing in an effort to avoid litigation.
“This organization was copying massive amounts of content for which they should have received licensing, and distributed it in various ways to various people,” said Keith Kupferschmid, SIIA vice president, Intellectual Property Policy & Protection. “More specifically, they were making copies of the content in hard copy and also electronically, and distributing it by e-mail, and posting it on their intranet and internet sites.”
The case involves a 350-employee California market research company with offices throughout the United States and revenues of $30 million. Although a settlement has not yet been reached, Kupferschmid said the company “has been very cooperative.”
This infringement case is part of SIIA’s new Corporate Content Anti-Piracy Program (CCAP) that was developed at the request of SIIA’s members. The trade association serves more than 800 software and publishing companies. The CCAP includes copyright education courses and enforcement initiatives to curtail businesses from using and sharing published material illegally.
“We’re trying to educate companies so that they can understand exactly what they need to do to manage their content and not run the risk of infringement liability,” said Kupferschmid. “Those companies that don’t do that, and have practices of systematic and continuous copyright infringement, are going to find themselves at the other end of an SIIA lawsuit, with SIIA representing the publishers we have as members.”
Beginning January 1st, SIIA plans to offer rewards of up to $1 million for people who report content piracy cases that the association is able to pursue and secure either settlements or damage amounts. Kupferschmid says SIIA is investigating at least one other company for copyright infringement.
