ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST), a leading provider of technology-based language-learning solutions, announced today that the company has reached settlements in cases against 77 individuals for copyright and trademark infringement. These individuals pirated software, including unauthorized copying, downloading, sharing and selling of counterfeit Rosetta Stone® language learning software.
“Consumers need to be aware of the dangers of software piracy, including the risks of identity theft, malware, spyware and defective software,” said Michael Wu, general counsel and corporate secretary, Rosetta Stone. “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 can verify whether genuine products are being purchased from authorized sellers. Remember, if a price looks too good to be true, it probably is.”
Rosetta Stone's efforts against the distribution of counterfeit software are being recognized today as the Company announces settlements with 77 infringers in 73 cities across 27 states:
| Hayden, AL | Lakewood, CO | Detroit, MI | Las Vegas, NV | McAllen, TX | ||||||||||||
| Chandler, AZ | Coconut Creek, FL | Kingsford, MI | Brooklyn, NY | San Antonio, TX | ||||||||||||
| Surprise, AZ | Miami, FL | Lansing, MI | Medusa, NY | Saint George, UT | ||||||||||||
| Tucson, AZ | North Lauderdale, FL | Saint Paul, MN | New York, NY | Arlington, VA | ||||||||||||
| Berkeley, CA | Orlando, FL | Jackson, MS | West Milton, OH | Ashburn, VA | ||||||||||||
| Corona, CA | Weston, FL | Charlotte, NC | Oakridge, OR | Manassas, VA | ||||||||||||
| Fullerton, CA | Atlanta, GA | Charlotte, NC | Ontario, OR | Manassas Park, VA | ||||||||||||
| La Mirada, CA | Chicago, IL | Charlotte, NC | Lansdale, PA | Norfolk, VA | ||||||||||||
| Laguna Niguel, CA | Franklin Park, IL | Monroe, NC | Philadelphia, PA | Richmond, VA | ||||||||||||
| Modesto, CA | Loves Park, IL | Statesville, NC | Lugoff, SC | Sterling, VA | ||||||||||||
| Newport Beach, CA | Romeoville, IL | Salem, NH | Cordova, TN | Virginia Beach, VA | ||||||||||||
| Sacramento, CA | Ruston, LA | East Brunswick, NJ | Nashville, TN | Woodbridge, VA | ||||||||||||
| San Diego, CA | Fitchburg, MA | East Orange, NJ | Arlington, TX | Everett, WA | ||||||||||||
| Stockton, CA | Annapolis, MD | Woodbury, NJ | Austin, TX | |||||||||||||
| Westminster, CA | Burtonsville, MD | Las Vegas, NV | Corpus Christi, TX | |||||||||||||
| Denver, CO | Patuxent River, MD | Las Vegas, NV | El Paso, TX | |||||||||||||
These settlements are being announced at a time when Congress is the process of drafting and reintroducing online infringement legislation to curb the illegal activities of rogue websites which cost the U.S. economy an estimated $58 billion in total annual output according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Earlier this year, Rosetta Stone CEO, Tom Adams, together with corporate representatives from several other companies and the Author’s Guild, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing entitled “Targeting Websites Dedicated to Stealing American Intellectual Property.” In this hearing, Adams expressed his strong support of the Committee's efforts to enact legislation to combat rogue websites selling counterfeit products.
Rosetta Stone continues to support the efforts of Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet, and their colleagues to introduce legislation to combat illegal infringement online. “We strongly urge the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Judiciary Committee to cooperate in passing online infringement legislation this year to protect American consumers against harmful counterfeit and pirated products,” said Mr. Wu. “We believe that any rogue website legislation must empower the U.S. Department of Justice to prevent online search engines from selling paid advertisements to rogue websites. There is no good reason why search engines should continue to transact with criminals and facilitate the rampant theft of American intellectual property.”
To report piracy of Rosetta Stone products or inquire about the legitimacy of Rosetta Stone products, consumers can e-mail piracy@rosettastone.com. To receive industry-wide information about software piracy, consumers can call the Business Software Alliance (BSA) Anti-Piracy Hotline at 1-888-667-4722.
For more information please visit www.rosettastone.com/global/anti-piracy.
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 trademarks of Rosetta Stone Ltd. in the U.S. and other countries.