Microsoft Sues Activation Key & Token Sellers For Enabling Customers’ Piracy

[upnorth]

Content source

https://torrentfreak.com/microsoft-sues-activation-key-token-sellers-for-enabling-customers-piracy-220812/

Software sold by market leaders tend to be primary purchases for regular consumers. Brand comfort is important but so too is affordability, especially when pirate copies are available for free. Some find a middle ground with purchases of discounted activation keys but, as a new Microsoft lawsuit shows, that can amount to copyright infringement for buyers and sellers alike.

Having spent billions on development and marketing over decades, companies like Microsoft dominate important sections of the software market. As a result, in some business and educational environments use of Microsoft software is effectively mandatory, leaving consumers with little room to consider alternatives or negotiate a discount. Pirate sites are always an option but many consumers feel that a genuine product bought at a discounted price is a safer and more honest option. What some don’t know is that through the actions of others, they may be paying to access unlicensed software that is no more legal than a download from The Pirate Bay.

In a complaint filed at a Washington court this week, Microsoft targets Canadian company The Search People Enterprises Ltd (TSPE), assumed director Mehtabjit Singh, and ‘John Doe’ defendants 1-10. The defendants are described as prolific distributors of “black market access devices”, aka activation keys and tokens for Microsoft software. Those who bought keys and tokens may have been under the impression that they were purchasing official software but as Microsoft explains, that is not only misleading but a mischaracterization of the things they were sold.

Microsoft Sues Activation Key & Token Sellers For Enabling Customers' Piracy * TorrentFreak

A new copyright lawsuit filed by Microsoft targets sellers of dubious activation keys, holding them liable for their customers' piracy.

torrentfreak.com

 

[oldschool]

Finally doing something other than stiffing the often unknowing buyers of such licenses.

 

[show-Zi]

DSP&OEM&package ver.
...As for Windows, I think it's convenient for pirates that licenses are too complicated and confusing for buyers.

 

[shmu26]

Microsoft Sues Activation Key & Token Sellers For Enabling Customers' Piracy * TorrentFreak

A new copyright lawsuit filed by Microsoft targets sellers of dubious activation keys, holding them liable for their customers' piracy.

torrentfreak.com

What is a "token" in this context?