Jailbreaking and rooting close to becoming “illegal” again

That we are free to jailbreak our iPhones or root our Android smartphones is something that we take for granted. However, both jailbreaking and rooting are close to becoming not so legal again, and action needs to be taken in order to prevent this from happening.

Here is how it all breaks down: until July of 2010, it was a matter of dispute whether jailbreaking or unlocking an iPhone was a criminal act or not. Apple, of course, having invested a tremendous amount of effort in locking down iOS, claimed that both practices were in conflict with copyright laws. 

 

However, the U.S. Copyright Office eventually recognized an exemption to the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act), thus permitting jaibreaking and unlocking of iPhones, as long as it was not for the purpose of circumventing copyright. Rooting of Android devices was proclaimed perfectly legal too.

Yet contrary to popular belief, the aforementioned exemption is not permanent. In fact, it is about to expire next month, and should it not be renewed, rooting and jailbreaking will most likely be rendered violating the DMCA again. That is why the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) needs your help. 

 

If you want to keep both jailbreaking and rooting legal, you are free to sign a petition that the EFF has launched. That means you, millions of people who have jailbroken their iPhone 4S. Casting your vote can be done by following the source link below, so check it out if you want to participate.