What are the penalties for having more software programs loaded onto company computers than the company has licenses?
The penalties for under-licensing are the same as those for software piracy. Under federal copyright law the company may be liable for up to $150,000 for each software program infringed. The law also permits the software publisher to recover court costs and attorneys’ fees it spends to sue the company and to destroy the all illegal software found at the companies. In cases of willful piracy, criminal penalties may also be assessed against the company.
Although the circumstances are different, having too few licenses is treated by the law in much the same way as having no licenses. Under federal copyright law, the infringing user may be liable for up to US$150,000 for each software program infringed. The law also permits the software publisher to recover court costs and attorneys’ fees it spends to sue the infringer and to destroy all the illegal software found at the company. In cases of willful piracy, criminal penalties may also be assessed against the company.
The penalties for under-licensing are the same as those for software piracy. Under international copyright laws, the company may be liable for up to $150,000 for each software program infringed. The law also permits the software manufacturer to recover court costs and legal fees it spends to take action against the infringing company and to destroy all illegal copies of the software found installed on the company’s computers. In cases of willful piracy, criminal penalties may also be assessed against the company.
