Company Urges Congress to Pass the Stop Online Piracy Act and the
PROTECT-IP Act
ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2011--
Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST), a leading provider of technology-based
language learning solutions, today praised U.S. and Canadian law
enforcement agencies as well as local law enforcement agencies across 13
states for their work to combat software piracy. The diligent efforts by
these agencies have resulted in 31 arrests for the piracy of Rosetta
Stone language learning software. As part of a continuing effort to
enforce Rosetta Stone’s rights under copyright law, the company
continues to cooperate with law enforcement to protect consumers from
counterfeit software and other forms of software piracy.
Rosetta Stone recognizes the following law enforcement and other
agencies in California, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South
Carolina, Virginia and Canada for taking action to protect consumers by
arresting individuals engaged in the distribution of counterfeit Rosetta
Stone software:
-
FBI offices in Manassas, Virginia; North Aurora, Illinois; Roseville,
California; Sacramento, California; and Washington, D.C.
-
Internal Revenue Service in California
-
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security
Investigations in California
-
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
-
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, California
-
Los Angeles Police Department, California
-
Fairfax County Police Department, Virginia
-
Prince William County Police Department SWAT Team, Virginia
-
Horry County Police Department, South Carolina
-
The Silicon Valley’s High Technology Task Force, also known as the
Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT), California
-
Marion County Sheriff's Office, Salem, Oregon
-
Boston Police Department, Massachusetts
-
Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana
-
Elizabeth Police Department, New Jersey
-
Nassau County District Attorney's Office, New York
-
New Jersey State Police
-
Mooresville Police Department, North Carolina
-
Alcoholic Beverage Control, Raleigh, North Carolina
-
Dublin Police Department, California
“While these arrests demonstrate the effectiveness of law enforcement in
pursuing software piracy in the U.S., Rosetta Stone is confronted with a
much more difficult task of pursing software pirates based overseas,”
said Michael Wu, general counsel for Rosetta Stone. “Attacking the
scourge of pirated products manufactured overseas and sold to American
consumers over the Internet will require the passage of legislation
based on the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act, now pending in the House
of Representatives, and the Protect IP Act, pending in the Senate. This
legislation will provide the U.S. Department of Justice with a
significant tool in its efforts to protect American consumers from the
deceptive and often dangerous practices of these online counterfeiters.”
Rosetta
Stone Inc. also announced today that in 2011 the company reached
settlements in cases against 119 individuals for copyright and trademark
infringement. These individuals pirated software, including the
unauthorized copying, downloading, sharing and/or selling of counterfeit
Rosetta Stone language-learning software. These settlements include
infringers located in the following 104 cities across 29 states in the
U.S. as well as in the countries of Canada and Georgia:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Birmingham, Ala.
|
|
Acworth, Ga.
|
|
Henderson, Nev.
|
|
Columbia, S.C.
|
|
Hoover, Ala.
|
|
Atlanta, Ga.
|
|
Las Vegas, Nev.
|
|
Newberry, S.C.
|
|
North Little Rock, Ark.
|
|
Chatsworth, Ga.
|
|
Sparks, Nev.
|
|
Bartlett, Tenn.
|
|
Tucson, Ariz.
|
|
Jonesboro, Ga.
|
|
Union City, N.J.
|
|
Knoxville, Tenn.
|
|
Brentwood, Calif.
|
|
Arlington Heights, Ill.
|
|
Amherst, N.Y.
|
|
Canyon, Texas
|
|
Carmichael, Calif.
|
|
Carol Stream, Ill.
|
|
Binghamton, N.Y.
|
|
Dallas, Texas
|
|
Culver City, Calif.
|
|
Chicago, Ill.
|
|
Brooklyn, N.Y.
|
|
Palestine, Texas
|
|
Davis, Calif.
|
|
Mahomet, Ill.
|
|
Melville, N.Y.
|
|
Quitman, Texas
|
|
Desert Hot Springs, Calif.
|
|
Northbrook, Ill.
|
|
New York, N.Y.
|
|
San Antonio, Texas
|
|
Escondido, Calif.
|
|
Fort Wayne, Ind.
|
|
Port Washington, N.Y.
|
|
Sherman, Texas
|
|
Glendale, Calif.
|
|
Lawrenceburg, Ind.
|
|
Springfield Gardens, N.Y.
|
|
Mapleton, Utah
|
|
Newbury Park, Calif.
|
|
McCordsville, Ind.
|
|
Staten Island, N.Y.
|
|
West Jordan, Utah
|
|
Oakland, Calif.
|
|
Downsville, La.
|
|
Syracuse, N.Y.
|
|
Alexandria, Va.
|
|
Richmond, Calif.
|
|
Slidell, La.
|
|
Delco, N.C.
|
|
Chantilly, Va.
|
|
Visalia, Calif.
|
|
Boyds, Md.
|
|
Franklinville, N.C.
|
|
Norfolk, Va.
|
|
Walnut Creek, Calif.
|
|
Glen Burnie, Md.
|
|
Greensboro, N.C.
|
|
Stuart, Va.
|
|
Fort Collins, Colo.
|
|
Lanham, Md.
|
|
Raleigh, N.C.
|
|
Williamsburg, Va.
|
|
Grand Junction, Colo.
|
|
Silver Spring, Md.
|
|
Winterville, N.C.
|
|
Woodbridge, Va.
|
|
Greeley, Colo.
|
|
Skowhegan, Maine
|
|
Cleveland, Ohio
|
|
Brattleboro, Vt.
|
|
Brandon, Fla.
|
|
Grand Rapids, Mich.
|
|
Lakewood, Ohio
|
|
Mendon, Vt.
|
|
Jacksonville, Fla.
|
|
Oak Park, Mich.
|
|
Steubenville, Ohio
|
|
Silverdale, Wash.
|
|
Miami, Fla.
|
|
Owosso, Mich.
|
|
Strongsville, Ohio
|
|
Spokane, Wash.
|
|
New Port Richey, Fla.
|
|
Plymouth, Mich.
|
|
Moore, Okla.
|
|
Tacoma, Wash.
|
|
Orlando, Fla.
|
|
Southfield, Mich.
|
|
Tulsa, Okla.
|
|
Cudahy, Wis.
|
|
Spring Hill, Fla.
|
|
Minneapolis, Minn.
|
|
Pottstown, Pa.
|
|
Greenfield, Wis.
|
|
Wauchula, Fla.
|
|
Princeton, Minn.
|
|
Bluffton, S.C.
|
|
Janesville, Wis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Consumers need to be aware of the dangers of software piracy, including
the risks of identity theft, malware, spyware and defective software,"
said Mr. Wu. "If consumers are unsure about the authenticity of products
or whether products are being offered by legitimate distributors or
retailers, they should contact Rosetta Stone. Our Customer Care team
will assist customers and verify whether genuine products are being
purchased from authorized sellers."
The company is committed to ensuring that consumers who purchase Rosetta
Stone language-learning products do not fall victim to counterfeit
software and are educated on the risks associated with such software. To
report piracy of Rosetta Stone products or inquire about the legitimacy
of Rosetta Stone products, consumers should send an e-mail to piracy@RosettaStone.com
or call 800-788-0822. To receive industry-wide information about
software piracy, consumers can call the Business Software Alliance (BSA)
Anti-Piracy Hotline at 888-667-4722.
For more information, please visit RosettaStone.com/global/anti-piracy.
For additional media information, please visit pr.RosettaStone.com.
About Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone Inc. is changing the way the world learns languages.
Rosetta Stone offers an interactive solution that is acclaimed for its
speed and power to unlock the natural language-learning ability in
everyone. Available in more than 30 languages, the Rosetta Stone
language-learning solution is used by schools, organizations and
millions of individuals in over 150 countries throughout the world. The
company was founded in 1992 on the core beliefs that learning a language
should be natural and instinctive and that interactive technology can
replicate and activate the immersion method powerfully for learners of
any age. The company is based in Arlington, Va. For more information,
visit RosettaStone.com.
"Rosetta Stone" is a registered trademark of Rosetta Stone Ltd. in the
U.S. and other countries.
Source: Rosetta Stone Inc.
Rosetta Stone Inc.
Media Contact:
Miranda Harper
212-715-1641
harperm@ruderfinn.com
or
Investor
Contact:
Steve Somers, CFA
703-387-5876
ssomers@RosettaStone.com
|
View printer-friendly version
