Fake Contraception Poses Risks, say Authorities

Hundreds of allegedly fake condoms have been found and seized by officials in the United Kingdom this week. The fakes, which fall under the jurisdiction of Lambeth council in South London, are three-packs falsely branded as Durex. They pose a huge risk to consumers, as they are more likely to tear and can otherwise be unreliable.

"These counterfeits cannot be relied upon to protect people against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy," says Lib Peck, cabinet member for environment and culture.

Trading officials have not released a list of where such fakes might be sold, simply saying that shops in Brixton and Herne Hill have been raided. Consumers are urged to check the serial number on the product, and remain aware of the issue.

New Educational Website Fights Pirates

Microsoft has added a new element to their ongoing effort to fight fakes--an educational website to help consumers. In addition to suing 20 alleged pirates in 13 states as part of their continuing "Genuine Software Initiative", the industry giant has created www.howtotell.com, which helps their customers spot counterfeits.

How to Tell provides a rich amount of content aimed at enabling customers with the right information about identifying pirated software. Among its pages are tips on what to avoid and answers to common questions. The most interesting element of the website, though, is its gallery of recently seized fakes, which can provide a laugh about the design of phony software and helpful examples for you to match your own products against. Most importantly, How to Tell allows customers to report fakes.

In 2006 alone, the U.S. lost $7.3 billion to software pirates, among $40 billion lost overall in 102 countries, according to researcher IDC. This same study, sponsored by the Business Software Alliance, indicates 21% of all PC software is pirated.

With their "Genuine Software Initiative," Microsoft has been a leader against piracy since its infancy--though generally their pursuit of the issue has involved tracking down counterfeiters. How to Tell allows them to reach out to software consumers and raise awareness about the issue.