Phoney Phone Laws

JENNY LEE
Staff Writer

The United States is the land of the American dream, the Statue of Liberty and Chuck Norris. It is also the nation with some of the most laughable laws ever passed.

On Jan. 26, Congress decided that unlocking a cellphone for multiple SIM card usage is now illegal to prevent copyright infringement.

Unlocking a phone without the carrier’s permission can result in five years in jail and/or a $500,000 fine. This sounds more than absurd, considering that someone who threatens to kill our country’s president or vice president can also spend up to five years in jail. The Congress equates unlocking a phone—a phone that consumers acquire with their own money—to that of a death threat.
Just imagine being crammed in jail alongside criminals who have committed actual heinous crimes because one evening, you decided unlocking your phone would be a snazzy thing to try. What a pleasant experience that would be.

As a response to this law, the White House received a petition that exceeded 114,000 signatures, which requires a response. The White House agreed with the petition. These 114,000 residents and others are now waiting on Congress to address the issue. Of course, knowing Congress’s speed—or lack thereof—the question is whether they will really mend the issue or simply acknowledge it and push it aside?