Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
(Image source: Flickr / guccio@) BY JONAS BRUUN
ANCHOR JAMAL ANDRESS
One hundred and fourteen thousand petition signatures from unhappy consumer activists
is what it took for the White House to take a stand on a controversial ban of unlocking
cell phones and other mobile devices. A White House senior advisor said Monday in an official
response that consumers again should be able to unlock their cell phones without facing
criminal penalties.
“It's common sense, crucial for protecting consumer choice, and
important for ensuring we continue to have the vibrant, competitive wireless market that
delivers innovative products and solid service to meet consumers' needs.”
The buzz
about unlocking cell phones started in October when the Library of Congress chose not to
include it in a list of Digital Millennium Copyright Act exemptions. On January 26, it
officially became illegal to unlock cell phones in the United States.
Ever since, consumers
who have wished to alter their phones for use on other carriers have been in a legal
gray area, risking five years in prison and a fine worth half a million dollars if carriers
sued them. (Video source: KSHB)
A tech writer from the Washington Post explains why
so many consumers have felt offended by the ban, saying:
“Unlocking a phone gives
consumers the option of taking their personal device with them from carrier to carrier if
they are dissatisfied with their service.”
The White House response on Monday quickly spurred
massive reactions on the internet. Many praised the Obama administration for taking charge,
including the author of the unlocking petition. Sina Khanifar said in a statement:
“This
is a big victory for consumers, and I’m glad to have played a part in it. A lot of
people reacted skeptically when I originally started the petition, with lots of comments
to the effect of ‘petitions don’t do anything’... The White House just showed that they really
do listen.”
Other observers don’t seem so confident that the unlocking issue
is solved just yet.
A writer from Cnet notes that even with the recommendation from
the White House, it doesn't mean it's OK to unlock your smartphone yet.
And it might
not stop there. Slate reports that the response can lead to something else; a reform of the
controversial copyright act itself.
“The Obama administration's response doesn't go
that far... But as the Library of Congress acknowledged in its statement, ‘rulemaking
can often serve as a barometer for broader policy concerns and broader policy action.’”
Besides
advocating for legalization in Monday’s statement, the White House encouraged mobile
providers to ensure that their customers can fully reap the benefits and features they
expect when purchasing their devices.