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Re: [LUG] Scottish firm pays out £120,000 over unlicensed software

 

Julian Hall wrote:
> Rob Beard wrote:
>> Anyway to get to the point, I'd be interested to know if unlicensed 
>> software on a staff members personal machine counts if it's been used on 
>> a company network.
>>
>> Rob
> If they're using it for company business then their employer might get 
> hit for vicarious liability if caught.  I'm no lawyer, but having done a 
> couple of years in uni with at least one module covering law as it 
> applies to IT, I *think* that could happen.  It's the old 'you are 
> liable for what they do on your premises and how they do it' argument.  
> A judge might say that the employer should make sure the staff are all 
> equipped *legally* to carry out their duties.
> 
> They could even go at the employer if the computer in question *isn't* 
> being used for business, simply because it's on the premises and the 
> employer has responsibility for what happens there.
> 
> I'm not aware of this being tested in court but it would be an 
> interesting one.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Julian
> 

Hmmm, I think I'll do a bit more looking into this.  Might even go as 
far as dishing out some 1GB Linux pen drives to staff who want to use 
their own laptops :-)

Rob


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