Microsoft Lobbies for US Anti-Piracy Law

Microsoft has taken aim at software pirates by disrupting and even severing business ventures with American corporations.

The proposal is clever on the part of Microsoft. The company looks to pass laws in every state that would punish US-based companies that continue to obtain their products from foreign companies using pirated versions of Microsoft software.

Microsoft Anti-Piracy Law a Two-Pronged Attack

The proposed scenario would work something like this: a company like Dell (US) looking to purchase keyboards from Shenzhen Biagatech Co. (China) would have their transaction stopped if Shenzhen was found to have been in the possession of unauthorized Microsoft material.

The law would be beneficial to Microsoft in two ways. First, it causes financial disaster to companies that have withheld adequate compensation to Microsoft for years. The second is that the laws would also hurt the sales of known Microsoft rivals here in America.

Microsoft Rivals to Lose on the Home Front

The Google Android operating system has been one of Microsoft's biggest concerns, since the software is predicted to power a majority of mobile phones and tablets over the next few years.

With Microsoft laws enacted, overseas companies would be blocked from providing goods and services to Google, for example, but only if the companies are running illegal versions of Microsoft software. (Source: itwire.com)

Even if Google could prove that their overseas supplier is running legitimate versions of Microsoft software, the time it takes to prove their case would cause a major break in the widespread use of Android.

IBM, Dell, HP Oppose Microsoft Anti-Piracy Law

Not surprisingly, companies like IBM, Intel, Dell and HP have come out in opposition against the Microsoft movement.

Still, this is farthest Microsoft has gone in their efforts to pass such laws. The company has a total of two lobbied laws in front of the Washington State legislature, with one version having already been passed and the second down for a second reading. (Source: nwsource.com)