Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Reviews

    New DMCA Exemptions Permit Cell Phone Jailbreaking and Unlocking

    Written by

    P. J. Connolly
    Published July 26, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      No matter what one’s political orientation might be, it’s really hard to complain about the Library of Congress, and today its Copyright Office demonstrated that Americans still have some rights to their digital devices and media. You see, the Copyright Office is charged with authorizing and reviewing exceptions to the much-maligned Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, and does so every three years.

      On July 26, the Copyright Office announced a half-dozen new exemptions to the DMCA, and high on its list was the blessing of two practices: “jailbreaking” cell phones to allow their owners to install software applications that aren’t authorized by the manufacturer, and “unlocking” them to allow phone owners to switch carriers.

      Then there were two victories for the concept of fair use: The first allows for a limited circumvention of the Content Scrambling System used to protect DVDs, while the second permits the bypass of access controls on certain ebooks for the purpose of executing read-aloud functions or enabling the use of “screen readers that render the text into a specialized format.”

      According to the Copyright Office, CSS can lawfully be bypassed “solely in order to accomplish the incorporation of short portions of motion pictures into new works for the purpose of criticism and comment,” and this exemption is further limited to three classes of use (again, I’m quoting from the official statement):

      “i) Educational uses by college and university professors and by college and university film and media studies students; ii) Documentary filmmaking; iii) Noncommercial videos.“

      (Unfortunately, this exemption still does not permit other forms of CSS bypass that ought to be covered by an ordinary interpretation of fair use. My favorite example of this is the all-too-common situation where I have lawfully acquired a motion picture on a lawfully made DVD, and I wish to view the motion picture on a portable device for personal, noncommercial use. As the law stands today, I have to buy that movie twice; first on the DVD, second, on my device.)

      The Copyright Office also announced that protections on video games could be legally circumvented to investigate or correct security flaws, and that computer owners were permitted to bypass external dongles in cases where the dongle “is no longer manufactured or if a replacement or repair is no longer reasonably available in the commercial marketplace.”

      The new rules will be published in the Federal Register on July 27, and will be reviewed at the next rulemaking session, which is expected to take place in 2013. The Copyright Office’s statement is available in its entirety, with supporting materials, at the copyright.gov Website.

      P. J. Connolly
      P. J. Connolly
      P. J. Connolly began writing for IT publications in 1997 and has a lengthy track record in both news and reviews. Since then, he's built two test labs from scratch and earned a reputation as the nicest skeptic you'll ever meet. Before taking up journalism, P. J. was an IT manager and consultant in San Francisco with a knack for networking the Apple Macintosh, and his love for technology is exceeded only by his contempt for the flavor of the month.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×