Will Rooting Your Smartphone Soon Be Illegal? Not If We Can Stop It!
The Android modding community is a great one all made possible by the tireless efforts of developers who seek to further enrich the Android experience by rooting and modding the software on their smartphones. Well, that whole ecosystem may soon be threatened with the expiration of the jailbreaking (and rooting) exemption law granted by the U.S. Copyright Office to help protect those of us who chose to modify the software on our devices from legal threats. Without that law, users who jailbreak or root their devices could face criminal charges — sounds like a crazy, post-apocalyptic future, right?
Well, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (who filed for the original jailbreaking/rooting exemption 3 years ago) is on our side and is looking for supporters to help renew the law and keep hackers and modders out of our country’s prison system. It doesn’t just stop at smartphones either. The EFF is also pushing for tablets and video game consoles to be included in the exemption. Media relations director and digital right analyst for the EFF, Rebecca Jeschke had this to say,
“The law was never intended to limit legal activity with a device that was legally bought. It’s not good policy for consumers. The idea that you might face criminal charges because you altered your own property is totally unfair. The goal here is to make the law really clear.”
Probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise but Apple fought against the exemption (surprise, surprise) back when it was introduced in 2010 and it’s iOS users that really have something to worry about with Apple’s trigger happy legal team always on the hunt. Just when you thought you could put down you pitchforks in protest of SOPA, a new cause is born. You can help by signing the petition at jailbreakingisnotacrime.org
Thanks, Marshall!
[Via Electronic Frontier Foundation]