Microsoft makes new anti-piracy push

Company launches offensive against illegal software sales.

Microsoft is launching a new effort aimed at stemming the flow of pirated software.

The company announced a 'global anti-piracy day' today to mark the beginning of a new worldwide effort to root out and apprehend vendors who sell pirated copies of its products.

The campaign will include actions in some 49 countries which will see Microsoft work with both the public and local law enforcement groups to help identify and apprehend groups who are dealing in stolen Microsoft wares. The company is also planning a new series of legal actions against suspected software pirates.

Among the events planned for the kickoff of the program are the launch educational programs in Turkey, Brazil and Italy.

"Software piracy and counterfeiting is a sophisticated, global trade with a damaging impact on consumers, businesses and economies, and Microsoft is committed to working with others around the world to stay a step ahead of this illegal industry," said David Finn, Microsoft's associate general counsel for worldwide anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting

"Together, we are working to identify international connection points between software pirates and counterfeiters, to help stop them in their tracks and protect consumers and legitimate businesses from this illegal trade."

For a group of retailers in the US, the day will be anything but a cause for celebration. Microsoft is filing 20 separate lawsuits in federal court against resellers suspected of selling PCs preloaded with pirated copies of Windows and Office.