The Government Approves “Jailbreaking” of Mobile Devices

The Federal government has recently put out a list of exemptions from a 1998 law that “prohibits the circumvention of technical measures that control access to copyrighted works.” According to the Associated Press, “Jailbreaking” was specifically listed among those exemptions that the government will make legal.

If you are not familiar with Jailbreaking, it’s the process of hacking devices to access system files, add additional coding, an install applications restricted by the operating system’s developer. This term specifically applies to Apple iPhones due to Apple’s restrictive practices in regards to its operating system design. In other words, they don’t want you messing with their stuff.

If you want to download an app on your iPhone, you can ONLY download apps approved and released through Apple’s App Store. Additionally, The ONLY way Developers can get apps into the hands of consumers was via Apple. If Apple said no, then it was back to the drawing board for iPhone app devs. Through special software, you can jailbreak your phone and install apps from other developers regardless of if they are approved by Apple or not. But be careful, because if you have an issue with a phone that has been modified via a jailbreak, the phone manufacturer has the ability to void your warranty, and deny service of your phone.

Another key exemption is the allowance of “unlocking” of cellphones to in order to switch to other wireless carriers. Now this applies to all cellphones, but before you immediately unlock you iPhone in an attempt to switch to Verizon Wireless, cellphones are made to only work on certain radio frequencies and not all wireless carriers work on all frequencies (doh!). So before you consider unlocking your phone, do some research and find out which carriers work on the same frequency as your phone.

Now jailbreaking and unlocking smartphones is nothing new, and I am pretty sure the practices would’ve continued even if the government didn’t allow it, but now at least you can’t be prosecuted for doing it.

About the Author
Terrance Gaines is a husband, father and self-proclaimed Technology Evangelist who shares tech news, reviews, tips and tricks on his blog BrothaTech.com as well as other sites and in print media. You can also find him talking "all things tech" on Twitter @BrothaTech.
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