Federation Against Software Theft
Encyclopedia
Copyright infringement of software
Copyright infringement of software=The copyright infringement of software refers to several practices which involve the unauthorized copying of computer software. Copyright infringement of this kind varies globally...
in the UK. FAST was the world's first Anti-piracy
Anti-piracy
Anti-piracy is a term used to describe countermeasures against maritime piracy but moreoften by some to describe the attempt to prevent copyright infringement, counterfeiting, and other violations of intellectual-property rights....
organisation to work to protect the copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
s of software publisher
Software publisher
A software publisher is a publishing company in the software industry between the developer and the distributor. In some companies, two or all three of these roles may be combined ....
s. Initially concentrating on lobbying parliament to revise Copyright law, FAST also prosecutes organisations and individuals for copyright infringement on behalf of its members and publicises the legal penalties and security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
risks.
Prior to the agreement with FAST, Investors in Software were a not-for-profit organisation limited by guarantee with a mission to support and advance professionalism in Software Asset Management
Software Asset Management
Software asset management is a business practice that involves managing and optimizing the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications within an organization...
and related IT asset management, to enable individuals and organisations to improve effectiveness and efficiency. As a direct result of their work the ISO SAM ISO 19770
ISO 19770
ISO/IEC 19770 is an international standard about Software Asset Management and consists of three parts.# ISO/IEC 19770-1 is a process framework to enable an organization to prove that it is performing software asset management to a standard sufficient to satisfy corporate governance requirements...
standard was successfully launched in May 2006.
History
In September 2008 FAST and Investors in Software signed an exclusive agreement to operate under the Federation name to strengthen and clarify the advice given to the end user community relating to best practice for Software Asset ManagementSoftware Asset Management
Software asset management is a business practice that involves managing and optimizing the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications within an organization...
(SAM) and achieving cost efficient licence compliance
Compliance (regulation)
In general, compliance means conforming to a rule, such as a specification, policy, standard or law. Regulatory compliance describes the goal that corporations or public agencies aspire to in their efforts to ensure that personnel are aware of and take steps to comply with relevant laws and...
. The new organisation will operate under the name FAST IiS.
In May 2008 FAST IiS launched an initiative with the aim of making it easier for end users to manage their software licensing
Software licensing
A software license is a legal instrument governing the usage or redistribution of software. All software is copyright protected, except material in the public domain. Contractual confidentiality is another way of protecting software...
requirements to contain costs and ensure effective Software Asset Management
Software Asset Management
Software asset management is a business practice that involves managing and optimizing the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications within an organization...
/ software licence management encompassing compliance
Compliance (regulation)
In general, compliance means conforming to a rule, such as a specification, policy, standard or law. Regulatory compliance describes the goal that corporations or public agencies aspire to in their efforts to ensure that personnel are aware of and take steps to comply with relevant laws and...
, the Software Industry Research Board (SIRB), was formed in consultation with five of the tier one software vendors.
FAST IiS remains a not-for-profit organisation limited by guarantee and wholly owned by its members who include software publisher
Software publisher
A software publisher is a publishing company in the software industry between the developer and the distributor. In some companies, two or all three of these roles may be combined ....
s, resellers, distributors, SAM practitioners and law firms. FAST IiS works to champion the professional management of software and protect members’ rights.
Since its inception FAST has successfully lobbied for changed in the software IP
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
system in the UK and EU through its dealings with the UK Intellectual Property Office. FAST's lobbying efforts brought about amendments to the Copyright Act 1956, culminating in software being recognised as a literary work.
In 2007 FAST, with the Alliance Against IP Theft, was successful in pushing for the implementation of Section 107A Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and having IP crime as a measurement on the National Policing Safety Plan.