Copyright infringement of software facts for kids
Copyright infringement of software (also known as software piracy) means illegally copying things like software, music, or movies. It also includes sharing these copies online, often through the Internet. When movies are copied illegally, it's sometimes called "bootlegging."
Many countries have laws against this. Some countries have more problems with software piracy than others. When people illegally copy software, the original creators (who own the copyright) earn less money. Because of this, some copyright owners create "anti-piracy" campaigns to teach people about the problems caused by illegal copying.
Lawmakers often try to find a balance. They want to let people use and share content, but they also want copyright owners to be able to charge for their work. Sometimes, even illegal sharing can make content more popular. However, copyright infringement can still harm both proprietary software (software you pay for) and free software (software you can use for free).
In the early 2010s, entertainment companies wanted to change laws in the United States. They hoped to make it easier to shut down websites that helped with piracy. These proposed laws were called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA). Many websites, including the English Wikipedia, protested these ideas on January 18, 2012. The very next day, the United States Department of Justice took control of the Megaupload website, which was believed to be one of the biggest piracy sites.
How to Spot Software Piracy
Software that has been illegally copied often has certain signs. Here are some things to look for:
- It might not come with a legal copyright certificate.
- You might not get any customer support or help after you buy it.
- The price might be unusually low.
- You might not be able to update the software to newer versions.
Other pages
Images for kids
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An old advertisement from 1906 about getting copyright and patent services. Back then, you had to officially register your copyright in the US.
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An illegally copied version of a book by German philosopher Alfred Schmidt from around 1970.
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This animation shows how the BitTorrent protocol works. It's a way to share files where many people download small parts of a file from each other. The original person sharing (the "seeder") only needs to send out one copy for everyone to get it.
In Spanish: Infracción de derechos de autor para niños
