Microsoft unveils piracy battle plan

Continuing their war on piracy, Microsoft has now launched a campaign targeting software piracy in the UK. The "Keep IT Real" campaign seeks to reduce the crazy amount of Microsoft software piracy going on, with a target reduction of 5 to 11.7 percent by 2009.

"Keep IT Real will help us to address the problem in a number of ways," Microsoft UK head of anti-piracy Michala Alexander said. "By educating customers on how to purchase legitimate software, we can protect them from the risks associated with piracy. And by closing down channels for the sale of pirate software, we can reduce the impact of illegal trade on Microsoft's UK partners."
In a plan that Microsoft claims will aid the UK economy, Microsoft will send investigative teams to some 800 technology vendors who are accused of piracy, with a view to deciding the best form of legal action to take. This "Feet on the Street" operation will make clear to vendors that Microsoft will not tolerate piracy any longer.

The company is widening its net in its plan to stamp out piracy as far as possible, and will also work with auction and retail websites to eliminate piracy of Microsoft products, and will conduct other similar crackdowns in the UK.