PiracyPiracyPiracyPiracyin Hong Kongin Hong Kong

What is piracy?• The use of copyrighted

material without permission. The taking and using of copyrighted or patented material without authorization or without the legal right to do so.

Main type of piracy:

• Music CD, MP3• Video CD & DVD• Computer

Software• PC & Video Game• Reference Book

* Boxup.com an illegal MP3 website

Piracy Rates in Hong Kong

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Percentage

*Source from 2001 BSA Piracy Study Results

Quantity and Value of Optical Discs Seizure, Dec 2001

0

2000000

4000000

6000000

8000000

CD CD- ROM VCD DVD

Quantity

Value ($)

*Source from 2001 Customs & Excise Department

Retail Software Revenue Lost to Piracy in Hong

Kong

$0.00

$50,000.00

$100,000.00

$150,000.00

$200,000.00

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

US Dollar

*Source from 2001 BSA Piracy Study Results

Why piracy so popular nowadays?

• Easy to buy and transfer

• Advance in duplication technology

• Expensive in legal copy

• Lack in promoting intellectual property

• Lack in law enforcement

* WinMX a peer to peer software

Easy to buy pirate CD in Tsuen Fung Centre

It only takes one day for copying books

Who take responsible for eliminating piracy?

• The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) is the only department responsible for taking criminal sanctions against copyright and trade mark infringements in Hong Kong.

Achievements of the C&ED in the fight against

Piracy• In 2001, C&ED effected 12,301

cases and arrested 1,686 persons involving copyright offences. The total quantity of optical discs seized was 8.9 million. Together with other seizures, the total value of seizure was HK$256 million.

How could a citizen assist the C&ED in protecting Intellectual Property

Rights?

• Every citizen in Hong Kong should respect IPR and refrain from buying infringing goods. Should anyone encounter any infringing or counterfeiting activities, he or she should make a report to the C&ED.

Can the piracy problem be totally eliminated?

• No, copyright piracy is a social problem, which cannot be solved by enforcement actions directed against the suppliers of pirated goods alone. As long as there are demands for pirated goods, pirates could still find niches to survive from our stringent enforcement actions.

Then, is there any method can minimize the

problem?

• The public must be educated to respect intellectual property right and refrain from buying pirated goods.

Internetwork CommunicationGroup Project - Piracy

Chan Chi YanLee Wai

Tsang Hing PongYam Yu To

THE END