On the Reliability of Software Piracy Statistics

Despite tremendous debate and policy interest in software piracy, the accuracy of piracy statistics compiled by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has been accepted at face value. Based on a review of the BSA methodology and empirical analysis, I conclude the following. First, prior cross-country studies of software piracy in the years 2002 and earlier were mis-specified: they more likely explained the demand for legitimate software relative to computers in use rather than piracy rates. Second, BSA statistics were biased on a cross-country basis either in the years 2002 and earlier, or the years 2003 and after, or both. Third, from 2003 onward, following a change in the BSA consultant and methodology, piracy rates across countries were inflated by an average of almost 4% points. 

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2010
• Where: HICSS
• Authors: Ivan P. L. Png
• Keywords: Biometrics, HICSS 2010, Piracy Rates, Piracy Statistics, Software Piracy, System Sciences