EFF wants legalization to jailbreak video game consoles in U.S.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation wants the American DMCA laws regarding jailbreaking expand, so that it becomes legal to consoles with new software. Before, it was the jailbreaking of smartphones allowed.

At the end of July 2010, the U.s. Copyright Office, the new regulations introduce for the, under certain circumstances, allow the rooten and jailbreaking of smartphones. Bypassing the security may only for software applications that have been obtained legally.

A similar exception want to the EFF for game consoles to be added to the DMCA legislation. According to the civil rights movement is the DMCA intended to be copyright infringement to address, but the law is abused to discourage people from experimenting with their own property. Hobbyists have software of their own choice, able to run on phones and game consoles, says the EFF.

PlayStation 3-hacker George Hotz relied on the amendment of the law for smartphones after Sony him to the right pulled due to copyright infringement. With the jailbreak on Hotz made it possible to use homebrew software to run and returned the ability to run Linux on the console. Although Hotz initially on a trial wanted to come, he has later still, the lawsuit with Sony suitable, so that there is no precedent is created.

The EFF is asking the Copyright Office also previously made exceptions for jailbreaking and unlocking of smartphones, the remixing of videos and copying of dvds.