Yellowridge Construction Ltd. is suing the Business Software Alliance (BSA) and DigiFX Networks, claiming the trade organization has repeatedly threatened to sue the firm for using pirated software after DigiFX allegedly reported the construction company when it terminated an information technology consulting deal.
Yellowridge Construction filed a notice of civil claim in BC Supreme Court on February 19 and was "compelled" to bring the action after trying to resolve the BSA's claims by offering up invoices and receipts for software installs on its computers. The company also conducted "an independent audit that disproved the BSA's accusations, all to no avail," the claim states.
Yellowridge claims that it first engaged DigiFX in 2008 but ended the relationship in September 2013, around the same time that DigiFX allegedly "made false and harmful statements concerning Yellowridge to the BSA," according to the lawsuit. DigiFX allegedly accused Yellowridge of duplicating or installing unlicensed copies of Microsoft Office, Windows and Adobe Acrobat on company computers.
Yellowridge claims the BSA began threatening to sue for copyright infringement as part of the alliance's aggressive strategy to squeeze payments from mid-sized businesses, "which, to these businesses, are more palatable than engaging in the threatened protracted fight with the BSA," the claim states.
Yellowridge seeks a declaration that it has not infringed upon Adobe's or Microsoft's copyrights, and damages for breach of contract and interference with economic relations.
None of the allegations has been tested in court and the defendants had not filed a response by press time.
