USA makes it illegal to unlock cellphones

[BrianBosworth]

As of Saturday, unlocking a cellphone is against US law.

The process, which allows you to use your handset with a network other than the one you bought it from, has just become illegal again as part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Unlocking was formerly allowed under an exemption to the act, ABC News explains, but in October 2012 the the US Copyright Office and Library of Congress decided not to renew the clause and it expired on Jan. 26.

Now, you must obtain your carrier's permission to unlock your phone or face a potential fine of up to $2,500. Anyone found unlocking handsets for profit could be forced to pay up to $500,000 and may even go to jail, according to ABC.

That said, "it's not like police officers will come knocking on your door if you decide to unlock your cellphone," the New York Times assures. It's more likely suspected offenders will get warnings from phone companies.

Unlocking a cellphone is now illegal in the US | GlobalPost

[bernardosgr]

They should have made it legal a long time ago, in my country all you have to do is walk up to any cell phone retailer and pay the price and you're set, it's good money for the sellers (i think an iPhone goes for around 150€ or something)

[anon]

"Unofficial" unlocking is a lucrative business here, mostly because those venues don't ask too many questions about where the phones come from, if you know what I mean. Apparently the law says mobile carriers must unlock your equipment after the contract ends, if you ask them to, although I don't know if that works with a prepaid plan. I wonder if I could ask them to unlock the Nokia 1112 I got as a present in 2007...

[ParamouR]

America badly needs to do something about the ignorance of their lawgivers. So you ban unlocking to stop a few people doing something illicit and fuck all over the rights of people who own their phones legally? Total absurdity

[SomeGuy]

I agree, those lawmakers seem to work for the benefit of big corporations rather than for the people. They continue abusing and reducing their well being with stupid laws.

[bernardosgr]

I agree, those lawmakers seem to work for the benefit of big corporations rather than for the people. They continue abusing and reducing their well being with stupid laws.

Seem to?... lol...

[Instab]

i'm surprised to see such a law while obama is in charge

[SealLion]

Instab, you know that's because Obama works for the big corporations. Not directly of course but indirectly via the corporate lobby groups that are crawling all over capital cities. The US is not immune to special interest lobby groups. These for-hire lobby groups working to represent either right-wing corporate interests or left-wing social/special interest groups are everywhere around the globe. Europe, North America, you name it. Laws like this are enacted to protect those who fear the loss of capital and desire the gain of corporate legal rights, an increase in profits, a want/need to satisfy their share-holders who themselves (and I wouldn't be surprised that once they look and consider the elemental raison d'etre) would nod their heads in approval. Their main interests is financial gain as well. The money pot trickles down so to speak.

[Instab]

Instab, you know that's because Obama works for the big corporations. Not directly of course but indirectly via the corporate lobby groups that are crawling all over capital cities. The US is not immune to special interest lobby groups. These for-hire lobby groups working to represent either right-wing corporate interests or left-wing social/special interest groups are everywhere around the globe. Europe, North America, you name it. Laws like this are enacted to protect those who fear the loss of capital and desire the gain of corporate legal rights, an increase in profits, a want/need to satisfy their share-holders who themselves (and I wouldn't be surprised that once they look and consider the elemental raison d'etre) would nod their heads in approval. Their main interests is financial gain as well. The money pot trickles down so to speak.

oh i'm well aware of that. what i'm surprised about is that obama plays along because that's quite different from how he sounds usually

[SealLion]

Ya. I see what you mean now, Instab. Maybe deep within the depths of Obama's conscience, Obama himself feels stretched one way by his conscience in which he is cognizant of corporate ethical issues not necessarily in accord to convention or ethos to what ordinary people like you and me might expect, and yet stretched the other way by the ties (read corporate sponsorships=political obligations), that got him where he is now.

[slikrapid]

what i'm surprised about is that obama plays along because that's quite different from how he sounds usually

when reading your previous comment, i thought you were joking...now i know it

Maybe deep within the depths of Obama's conscience, Obama himself feels stretched one way by his conscience

don't count on it (besides, humans don't seem to have a problem with living in denial), he didn't arrive at the presidential position because he has broad ethical considerations, his indoctrination/preparation/education/grooming is deeply embedded & hard as a rock, so he most likely actually believes that his actions are the right/necessary ones (casualties of any kind are interpreted as collateral damage, as sacrifices for the 'greater good') - even if for some strange reason he might start having doubts/questions, there are more than enough advisers to 'set him straight' or in the worst case scenario, he is simply left out of the loop, getting information on a need-to-know basis, so there are no loose ends regarding the decision-making process regardless of who occupies the oval office, ie. he is not there to really change things, but to perpetuate them (via new packaging, among other methods)

a president is not much more than a puppet, he has to look good/confident/serious/active/busy to the public (PR), sign pre-arranged documents handed to him by the advisers, discuss pre-defined strategies & options, get familiar with these, memorize what to do, who his allies & opponents are and thats about it, any more advanced/in-depth role depends on his personal abilities to handle it & his dedication 'to the cause', though this is probably avoided as it endangers the system's compartmentalization defense against major leaks/liabilities