It is now a crime to unlock your smartphone in USA
carson
Gippsland, Victoria
1740 posts
Well this is pretty fucked up. You can now face 5 years in jail, and half a million dollar fine for unlocking your phone in America now. ADVISORY
BY DECREE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS
IT SHALL HENCEFORCE BE ORDERED THAT AMERICANS SHALL NOT UNLOCK THEIR OWN SMARTPHONES.
PENALTY: In some situations, first time offenders may be fined up to $500,000, imprisoned for five years, or both. For repeat offenders, the maximum penalty increases to a fine of $1,000,000, imprisonment for up to ten years, or both.* http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/01/the-most-ridiculous-law-of-2013-so-far-it-is-now-a-crime-to-unlock-your-smartphone/272552/What an insane and stupid law to pass. It's so hard to fathom that an ordinary citizen who pays for their phone, leaves a contract then decides to go to another carrier sot hey unlock their phone can face jail time and half a million fine for it. While you people running HSBC not even getting jail time for committing all kinds of fucked up crimes laundering money for drug cartels and such. |
DK
Brisbane, Queensland
797 posts
That's scary. Corporations have way to much power in the US
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TufNuT
I like eel pie
Brisbane, Queensland
4090 posts
This Justice. how dare you try to unlock a phone you paid for and it's contract period has expired.
for years now pirates and thieves have been robbing these poor corporations of much need money by unlocking the phones that they buy. Finally justsice for the crops. god damn consumers thieves. /sarcasm.
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TufNuT
I like eel pie
Brisbane, Queensland
4091 posts
Not fake. But the important part is "without permission"
Once the phone is paid off you shouldn't need permission. but then if they don't make stupid laws like this the consumer will be able to force a competitive market for the best deal. I think its called capitalism..
the us government is capitalist when it works for them and socialist when things get tough.
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even if the library of congress gets to pass laws, surely they'd be more circumspect in their wording than "Americans shall not unlock their own smartphones"
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Spook
Brisbane, Queensland
35056 posts
we should get anonymous to do something about this.
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Fixah
Brisbane, Queensland
7186 posts
or a buslim to blow shit up
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Raven
Melbourne, Victoria
7618 posts
we should get anonymous to do something about this.
Appropriate would be for them to somehow lock the phone of every congressman to a network other than the one they're on ;D
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Tollaz0r!
Brisbane, Queensland
13298 posts
heh Insom, You unlock my phone and I'll unlock yours.
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Crusher
Sydney, New South Wales
1238 posts
Funny how congress has time to debate laws about unlocking smartphones, but doesnt have time to, you know, FIX THE ECONOMY.
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heh Insom, You unlock my phone and I'll unlock yours.
that's what she said?
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Trauma
Melbourne, Victoria
3065 posts
Funny how congress has time to debate laws about unlocking smartphones, but doesnt have time to, you know, FIX THE ECONOMY. What are you talking about? The economy is already fixed.
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skythra
Brisbane, Queensland
6335 posts
but then if they don't make stupid laws like this the consumer will be able to force a competitive market for the best deal. I think its called capitalism..
the us government is capitalist when it works for them and socialist when things get tough. Im not sure what you're trying to state here, but the ultimate form of capitalism would have no government hand in it at all. So. =_= I think you mean democratic when it works for them, and socialist when things get tough?
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Whoop
Brisbane, Queensland
21221 posts
Everyone should go back to land lines and dump their mobiles in protest. That'll show them!
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FaceMan
Brisbane, Queensland
9817 posts
Corporations demanding Laws from Congress that make them more money.
Rigged Capitalism.
Maybe people should continue to unlock their phones, or just dont buy new phones. Punish the Companies that have supported this move.
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Karmadelik
Brisbane, Queensland
212 posts
mooby
Brisbane, Queensland
6257 posts
might start a company to unlock mobile phones off shore, like in oz.
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sLaps_Forehead
Brisbane, Queensland
6249 posts
So you arent allowed to unlock your phone but you are allowed to have an automatic military assault rifle for 'home protection'?
fuk yeh
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HurricaneJim
Brisbane, Queensland
1319 posts
So you arent allowed to unlock your phone but you are allowed to have an automatic military assault rifle for 'home protection'?
fuk yeh Nothing in their constitution about mobile phones or assault rifles either.....
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Crusher
Sydney, New South Wales
1240 posts
WirlWind
Central Coast, New South Wales
510 posts
heh Insom, You unlock my phone and I'll unlock yours. Technically, it doesn't say that you can't unlock someone ELSES phone FOR them... Then again, loopholes are for rich people. They'd probably throw me in Guantanamo.
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Rony
Other International
1 posts
This post has been removed.
Reason: Advertising
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carson
Gippsland, Victoria
1741 posts
Im not sure what you're trying to state here, but the ultimate form of capitalism would have no government hand in it at all. So. =_=I think you mean democratic when it works for them, and socialist when things get tough? Well America has the closest country to pure Capitalism there is currently. Corporations have so much sway and influence. They're recognised as people! Plus until Obama they had no public health care. Even now it's not even as good as we have here. You need a healthy balance of both capitalism and socialism in a western culture I think. Having places for private enterprise to do it's thang, while having social institutions to protect the populace that can't (public health care, education, etc.)
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Superform
Netherlands
7668 posts
Funny how congress has time to debate laws about unlocking smartphones, but doesnt have time to, you know, FIX THE ECONOMY.
you realise this law does help fix the economy...
spend spend spend
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Whoop
Brisbane, Queensland
21223 posts
exo
Sydney, New South Wales
9046 posts
Jesus fucking christ, seriously?
It is only a "crime" to unlock your handset via unauthorised means (jailbreaking, rooting, firmware modification etc). Carriers can, will and do unlock your handset at your request once you've met the terms of the agreement when you take out a handset subsidy.
Want to leave your contract early? No problem - pay the fee and get your unlock code as part of the process. If you don't want to be beholden to the carriers don't buy a handset on their terms. Get it outright - shit, a Nexus 4 is around USD $350.
That Digital Trends article is a load of shit because in every instance, the carrier is not the license holder of the software on your phone - that is, and always will remain with the manufacturer.
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Thank you exo, for introducing sense and reason in this thread.
It should be noted that my gf successfully and easily unlocked her phone yesterday (bought with subsidy, but now off contract) via the AT&T link I posted originally in this thread.
Storm in a teacup. People acting like they're being stripped of their rights. Sheesh..
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demon
Brisbane, Queensland
7062 posts
the article might be misleading & generally a bit crap... but the penalty is still fkn retarded for the offence.
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Zakson
Gold Coast, Queensland
354 posts
I agree, the problem is not so much making it a crime but if that penalty is legit (I still don't believe it) then they have serious mental issues.
Half a million dollars, 5 years jail ... I'm sure you'd get less for killing the person who was going to dob you in.
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