US DMCA Unlocking Exemption Expires
The unlocking exemption from the United States’ Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), previously maintained by the Librarian of Congress, has been allowed to expire. Unlocking a smartphone in the United States that was purchased after October 28, 2012 is therefore now illegal. For now, unlocking remains permitted in Canada.
Digital Trends has a question-and-answer article that describes the situation and what it means for American smartphone users.