Software Piracy Losses Jump to $59 Billion in 2010, Report Says

The value of pirated software worldwide rose 14 percent to $58.8 billion last year, almost double the total in 2003, amid rising theft of programs in emerging markets, according to a trade group that tracks piracy.

Countries with emerging economies, including China, Russia, India and Brazil, now account for more than half of the money lost to piracy, according to the Business Software Alliance, a Washington group that is releasing its annual piracy report today. The U.S. topped all other countries with $9.52 billion lost to piracy, with China second at $7.78 billion.