Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Software protection problems in Indonesia


Software enforcement is one of the most contentious areas of IP protection. The Jakarta Globe last weekend published a report on how Indonesian software developers are hampered by poor IP protection and a weak venture capital infrastructure leading to a lack of investment and opportunity to develop the local industry.

Meanwhile a BSA raid on a company called Multisari Langgeng in September 2011 allegedly for unlicensed commercial software use, has backfired. The company is suing the software association's offices in Singapore and Washington DC in the Jakarta courts for improper execution of the raid, claiming the court warrant documentation was defective. The case also claims the association is not properly able to bring an infringement case for its members (something which could have significance for other IP organisations), and seeks very substantial damages.

Similar problems are faced in other South East Asian countries - see some previous IP Komodo reports on software issues here. Neither local or the international software houses are having an easy time protecting their copyrights.

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