By+Monica+Salazar

**April, 2011 **
 * Impact of Piracy in Latin America and Mexico **
 * ﻿ **

 Software Piracy, the unauthorized copying of software, has affected our homes world-wide, form neighborhood to neighborhood. Over the years, a stable increase in piracy has been occurring.

The transfer of pirated technology has become an ever growing part of world trade. In Latin America alone, the piracy rate is overwhelming. Latin America has the second largest piracy rate of the world at 58%. Not to mention that there is a lack of depth and importance given to the corruption research in Latin America.

The results of the current study analyzes of software piracy for Latin America indicate that economic growth is indefinitely related to software piracy. Piracy in Latin America is not only linked to economic growth, but also to organized crime. The newest venture for organized crimes has become piracy, a notorious business in Latin America.

More specifically, in Mexico organized has increased, and with it, piracy as well. Last week, Microsoft declared that the drug cartel called “La Familia” was selling counterfeit copies of the software’s big products on the streets of Mexico. The company claims it has evidence that establishes a link between the piracy and organized crime in the country. This has led to suspicion of groups dedicated to organized crime have been profiting from piracy.

Also, Mexico’s software industry lost 200 million dollars a year through piracy, according to a daily local La Jornada. The r eport states that sixty percent of all software programs installed in Mexico are pirated. Also, a twenty-five percent reduction in piracy would create a total of 35,500 new jobs. Our society has been damaged because if these high rates of software piracy all over the world, including our neighborhoods. We have become  dependent to piracy, further contaminating societies with software piracy.

More than 38,000 consumers in 20 counties participated in a survey. Seventy-two percent said that they wanted the industry and government to do more to protect them from software piracy.

People all over the world are making desperate attempts at putting a stop to piracy, all we can do for now is hope their attempts make a difference.

Monica S.C.