Complacent IT professionals put companies at risk

Complacent IT professionals could be putting their companies at risk of suspended internet service or worse by ignoring delayed anti-piracy legislation according to research commissioned by Star, a provider of on-demand cloud computing and communication services to UK businesses.

The survey shows 43 per cent of IT professionals themselves download or stream copyrighted material. Eight per cent admit to doing so at work. The survey shows few IT professionals agree with the premise of pending copyright legislation. Only 26 per cent think it should be illegal to download any copyrighted information in the UK.

Paul Watson, Interim CEO, Star said “Delays to first SOPA/PIPA and now the Digital Economy Act (DEA) could increase what are already dangerous levels of complacency about downloading or streaming copyrighted material among the UK’s IT professionals. Regardless of their personal views about the legitimacy of the delayed Digital Economy Act IT professionals can rest assured that piracy controls will be implemented. A failure to lead by example now could result in the organisations for which they work being subject to suspended internet service or worse in the future.”

Survey respondents were asked who they considered should be held responsible for the downloading or streaming of copyrighted content in their organisations. 59 per cent think the individual perpetrator should be held responsible. Those that think the organisation should be held responsible are split mainly between thinking the IT manager should be responsible (11 per cent) and the board should be responsible (24 per cent).