What role does open-source licensing play in mitigating piracy risks?

Open-source licensing can help mitigate risks associated with digital piracy by providing legal frameworks that allow for the distribution and sharing of software under specific terms. These licensing agreements often include conditions that protect the software from being illegally copied, modified, or redistributed, thereby reducing the likelihood of piracy. By making the source code of a product freely available, open-source licensing encourages collaboration, transparency, and community oversight, which can help deter illicit activities and promote ethical use of digital assets. Additionally, open-source licensing promotes innovation, as it enables developers to build upon existing software and contribute enhancements back to the community, further expanding the ecosystem of legitimate and properly licensed digital products.