Jailbreaking exemption to the DMCA about to expire : Corporate Computer
Jailbreaking exemption to the DMCA about to expire
Do you use a jailbroken iPhone/iPad or a rooted Android device? The manufacturers claim that rooting or jailbreaking devices violates Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). In 2010 the US Copyright office issued a temporary 2 year exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) that granted users the right to root or jailbreak their phone and devices. This exemption is about to expire. If this exemption does not get renewed then it will be illegal to root your device.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is asking the copyright office to renew the exemption and to expand it to also cover tablets. In addition to this extension they are also asking for a new exemption that will cover game consoles.
Just think of the things this touches. Last year when Amazon opened their app store you had to have a rooted android device to load the applications if you were on AT&T because they thought it was in your best interest to only get apps from Google Market and had the feature locked out. Do you want your carrier to decide here you get your programs? How about if you use an Apple device and would like to have Siri but you don?t have a 4S? Apple says no, but if you jail break your device there are Siri installs that will work just fine. would you like to continue being able to play a used game in your game console, this option is being questioned by the game system makers this year.
What can you do to insure that the exemption is renewed? The EFF needs your help. You can do your part to insure the future of jailbreaking and root by contacting the US Copyright Office and telling them that you want the right to modify your own devices.*
Here is a link to send comments about this exemption to the US Copyright Office, but hurry the deadline is Feb 10th, 2012 by 5PM EST ? Click Here.
Where the form says ?Comment number(s) of proposed classes of works to which you are responding,? enter a ?3? if you?re writing about game consoles or a ?5? if you?re writing about smartphones or tablets. You might consider also entering a ?4″ to submit your comments in support of an exemption request proposed by the Software Freedom Law Center to allow jailbreaking of ?personal computing devices.?
Tell them why you think jailbreaking and rooting should be allowed and how you use your rooted device.