Wednesday, January 25, 2012

DMCA jailbreak exemption set to expire, EFF asks for your help to get it renewed and expanded

The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) is asking for your help to tell the U.S. Copyright Office that jailbreaking does not violate the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act).

In 2010, the Copyright Office said jailbreaking smartphones doesn't violate the DMCA. This year, we're asking them to renew that exemption (otherwise it will expire) and expand it to cover tablets. We're also asking for a new exemption to allow jailbreaking of video game consoles.

Given that the U.S. Copyright Office only declared that jailbreaking was excluded from the DMCA, and didn't actually hard code protection into the act, the declaration could ultimately expire and leave jailbreakers subject to legal penalties.

If you'd like to help ensure this never happens, the EFF has advised you submit your opinion in comment form to the Copyright Office, and even offer a submission template with comment suggestions for your convenience. Comments are due by February 10th at 5PM, so make sure you submit your comments soon!

Souce: EFF

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