Unlocking / Rooting your phone is now illegal

[klinc]

If I paid cash for it they can go fuck off. Its mine if I want to shit on it I will. If I want to load anything I want on it I will its mine.

 

[sze5003]

I bought my phone on eBay and I can do what I want with it. The fact that they keep coming out with these super fast phones and limiting the data you use is pointless.

 

[blackangst1]

I bought my phone on eBay and I can do what I want with it. The fact that they keep coming out with these super fast phones and limiting the data you use is pointless.

And under the new law it wouldnt be illegal to unlock it.

 

[sze5003]

Even HTC released their dev tool to soft unlock your phone. Getting s off completely means doing another step. But just this is enough to install another Rom as long as the developer took into consideration that you were s off or s on.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Rooting isnt illegal

Carrier unlocking is.

Different things.

not that making carrier unlocking is any less bizarre though.

Yep. "Jailbreaking" remains legal.

 

[spacejamz]

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/unlocking-cellphones-becomes-illegal-saturday-1C8086503

The new rule against unlocking phones won't be a problem for everybody, though. For example, Verizon's iPhone 5 comes out of the box already unlocked, and AT&T will unlock a phone once it is out of contract.

Note that unlocking is different from "jailbreaking," which opens the phone up for running additional software and remains legal, although it can be risky, for smartphones.

 

[OlafSicky]

Another law on the books that will never be enforced.

Who cares... Root away...

You are wrong if it's on the books it can be enforced and will be. If the government has something against you they will charge you with anything they can.
I can imagine that if Aaron Swartz had a hacked phone on him when they stopped him, he would have been charged with that too. Just think of the 3 strike like people are doing life in prison for stealing a stick of butter. So why not for a cell phone:ninja:

 

[sze5003]

Did metro PCs get in trouble for flashing phones to their carrier ? Because I was wondering are people buying an s3 on eBay and just flashing it themselves to go to metro ? I doubt someone would pay $500 at metro PCs for a Samsung s3 when they can be had on eBay for less.

 

[BoberFett]

While the fact that you no longer own the things that you purchase is bewildering, what's even more disturbing about this fact is that it's just another reminder that this country is not run by the voters. Hell it's not even run by the people that the voters voted for.

the Librarian of Congress—who has the power to grant exemptions—yesterday published a list of changes which will be in force for three years

Why is some unelected bureaucrat given the power to make law?

This country is out of control.

 

[Oldgamer]

While the fact that you no longer own the things that you purchase is bewildering, what's even more disturbing about this fact is that it's just another reminder that this country is not run by the voters. Hell it's not even run by the people that the voters voted for.



Why is some unelected bureaucrat given the power to make law?

This country is out of control.

Exactly.. that is what is freakin scary..

 

[sze5003]

People are still going to unlock. I don't see the issue. If you want to unlock and switch carriers mid contract you pay an ETF. If the conyract is over, you've payed the phone and service so what do they care what happens at that point either way.

 

[WelshBloke]

People are still going to unlock. I don't see the issue. If you want to unlock and switch carriers mid contract you pay an ETF. If the conyract is over, you've payed the phone and service so what do they care what happens at that point either way.

What if they check and see that you're using the phone on another network and put it on the IMEI blacklist?

 

[sze5003]

What if they check and see that you're using the phone on another network and put it on the IMEI blacklist?

Most people that unlock the phones switch carriers or go to month by month. If you are unlocked and are not in a contract with your carrier most likely you will cancel your service and go somewhere else. I don't think people would keep a contract and then.try to go to another carrier

 

[Khumhun]

So. Rooting IS still legal, then?
I keep reading that it is, then it isn't--seems to depend on which website one is reading at the time...

If rooting IS still fine, then I will have a bit more faith in the intelligence of lawmakers--
after all, rooting a phone is no different than being able to log on as Administrator on a Windows computer... (unfamiliar with Macintosh--do they call it Administrator as well?)...

 

[klinc]

In my country carriers ain't allowed to lock the phone to a network. But they have managed to circumvent it with blackberry by it showing a error message every couple of hours where you can't phone or anything just use BIS. It can be fix by putting another sim in and putting it back again but with the blackberry startup time one completely get rid of the phone

 

[blackangst1]

So. Rooting IS still legal, then?
I keep reading that it is, then it isn't--seems to depend on which website one is reading at the time...

If rooting IS still fine, then I will have a bit more faith in the intelligence of lawmakers--
after all, rooting a phone is no different than being able to log on as Administrator on a Windows computer... (unfamiliar with Macintosh--do they call it Administrator as well?)...

The law is pretty simple if you read it.

Effective 2 days ago, NEW phones sold by carriers cannot be unlocked. If you already own a phone, youre exempt. If you buy a phone from a private party, it is also exempt, even AFTER last saturday.

 

[waggy]

While the fact that you no longer own the things that you purchase is bewildering, what's even more disturbing about this fact is that it's just another reminder that this country is not run by the voters. Hell it's not even run by the people that the voters voted for.
.

yeah and the fact people are OK with it and defending it!


though it's no suprise. After the USSC ruled that in effect you do not really own your land shit like this should be no suprise.

 

[Oldgamer]

yeah and the fact people are OK with it and defending it!


though it's no suprise. After the USSC ruled that in effect you do not really own your land shit like this should be no suprise.

Ha..funny you mention that, now a days, if you buy a peice of land some (corporation) already owns the mineral rights to it. If you found, gold, diamonds or oil in your land its not yours.

 

[IGBT]

digital hardware signatures are the rope the enforcers will use to let you hang your self with your iCrap gadgets.

 

[blackangst1]

Ha..funny you mention that, now a days, if you buy a peice of land some (corporation) already owns the mineral rights to it. If you found, gold, diamonds or oil in your land its not yours.

Well, sometimes.

 

[waggy]

Ha..funny you mention that, now a days, if you buy a peice of land some (corporation) already owns the mineral rights to it. If you found, gold, diamonds or oil in your land its not yours.

unless the deed specifies mineral rights.

 

[ciba]

You know, I see an opportunity for a zealous tax assessor to go after the networks. Could an argument could be made that the networks hold property interest in the phones? I'd love to see an assessor include phones under contract in an assessment to AT&T.

Let's pull numbers out of the air:
1.4 million people in Sacramento County
Let's say 75% own phones
Average value of $150 (average cost of 300 to account for the cheap ones, with a two year straight-line depreciation).
1.1% business property assessment rate

$1.7 MM in annual county revenue.

 

[Oldgamer]

unless the deed specifies mineral rights.

Yea, but I am talking about anyone who just buys a home, standard lot.. etc. It is almost unheard of for a person to own minerals rights or even air rights to a home, especially if its in the suburbs.

In some cases even farms..

But your right, you would have to have a minerals rights clause, or deed that includes it.

 

[rudder]

I bought my phone on eBay and I can do what I want with it. The fact that they keep coming out with these super fast phones and limiting the data you use is pointless.

And under the new law it wouldnt be illegal to unlock it.

And they can arrest me and I will use my public defender to appeal all the way to the supreme court. But that is the problem with these types of laws.... they are stupid and probably would not hold up to upper court scrutiny. But who will spend that type of money to fight it. In 4-5 years there will be a class action suit, a couple of lawyers will make millions and the users will all get $5 back and the ability to freely unlock phones once again.

 

[Pulsar]

Yep. "Jailbreaking" remains legal.

Not for long.

It's already illegal to chip consoles for various purposes.

It's only the next logical step to make jailbreaking illegal. Once it is, then even developing the software or steps to do so becomes illegal as well, per the DCMA. Then all the people who shrugged and said 'eh' will realize that they can't get the software that let them root, so they're SOL.