Jailbreaking your tablet or smart TV is now legal, according to the new ruling issued by the U.S. Copyright Congress.
The U.S. Library of Congress issued on Tuesday, Oct. 27, exemptions to the provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, otherwise known as DMCA.
This provision "prohibits circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works, codified in Section 1201(a)(1) of title 17 of the United States Code."
This means consumers who are fond of tinkering with their devices should now have a reason to celebrate.
It is worth noting that the new ruling has a wide range, covering movie and television files used for educational purposes to third-party software licensed on tablets and smart TVs. It has to be noted, though, that these exemptions will last for a three-year period.
After 36 months, the Library of Congress will need to convene again to come up with new exemptions and reestablish earlier exemptions to the 1201 provision in the DMCA.
Smartphone users may also continue to jailbreak their handsets. In 2012, the office approved jailbreaking for smartphones. However, during the time, jailbreaking for tablets was not permitted.
People are still prohibited in jailbreaking their e-readers, laptops and desktop computers.
Additionally, circumventing video game consoles are forbidden. The Library of Congress thinks that console jailbreaking is closely related to video game privacy.
In the meantime, exemptions on circumventing restrictions on video game titles are granted, as long as the copyright owner has closed the server required to permit local gameplay and open up a game.
Preserving a video game in a library, museum or archive is also permitted.
For car owners who wish to diagnose, fix or legally change a few parts of their motor vehicles, the office allowed a limited exemption to bypass software restrictions.
What the office does not allow is circumnavigating software restrictions to infringe laws set by the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Moreover, it does not permit circumventing software restrictions to change communications as well as infotainment systems of a car.
