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Intellectual Property

Intellectual property (IP) protections encourage the research and development (R&D) that drives innovation. Software accounts for 19.6 percent of all domestic business R&D in the United States. Proper IP protection frameworks are critical to maintaining this investment. BSA supports:

patent protection for all inventions on a technology-neutral basis,
copyright laws that protect the rights of authors, intermediaries, and users of works in the digital age,
protections for trade secrets, and
meaningful patent litigation reform that reduces opportunistic litigation and allows those who invent and innovate to thrive.

Additional Resources:

FEATURED POLICY RESEARCH / POSITION PAPERS

US: Making Sense of Section 230

FEB 12, 2021 | GLOBAL

This issue brief provides a high-level overview of what Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act does, why it is important to a much broader spectrum of stakeholders than those that have galvanized the current debate, and key considerations for evaluating potential reforms.

BSA Testimony: Assessing the Effectiveness of the Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents

US: Testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet on “Assessing the Effectiveness of the Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents”

MAR 19, 2018 | GLOBAL

US: Patent and Trademark Office – Comments on Draft 2018-2022 Strategic Plan

SEP 19, 2018 | GLOBAL

BSA Statement on PACT Act

MAR 17, 2021 | US

“We appreciate Senators Schatz and Thune working together in a bipartisan way to develop the Platform Accountability and Consumer Transparency Act,” said Craig Albright, Vice President of Legislative Strategy at BSA | The Software Alliance. Read more

Software Industry Group’s Agenda Features Interoperability for 5G Networks, ‘Comprehensive’ Privacy Legislation

FEB 04, 2021 | US

Inside Cybersecurity, February 4, 2021. BSA | The Software Alliance will be advocating for strengthening and hardening 5G networks through a standards-based, interoperable approach as a key part of its policy agenda for 2021, which outlines areas of focus where the software industry will engage with Congress and the new administration. Read more

AI Privacy Cybersecurity IP Trade Cross-Border Data Workforce

Inclusive Economic Opportunity Is Focus of BSA’s 2021 US Policy Agenda

FEB 03, 2021 | US

BSA | The Software Alliance released its 2021 US Policy Agenda, outlining nine key areas where the new Congress and Administration can take action to promote equity, expand opportunity, and bolster recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more