Unlocking Technology Act of 2013: Difference between revisions

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The Unlocking Technology Act of 2013 was a proposed bipartisan law which would have modified Section 1201 of the DMCA to only restrict breaking digital locks for the sake of copyright infringement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Couts |first=Andrew |date=2013-05-09 |title=Awesome new bill legalizes cell phone unlocking, 'fixes' the DMCA |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/new-bill-legalizes-cell-phone-unlocking-fixes-the-dmca/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/new-bill-legalizes-cell-phone-unlocking-fixes-the-dmca/ |access-date=2026-02-24 |website=Digital Trends}}</ref> It died in committee.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2013 |title=H.R. 1892 (113th): Unlocking Technology Act of 2013 |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1892 |url-status=live |access-date=2016-02-24 |website=www.GovTrack.us}}</ref>

Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and Jared Polis (D-CO) introduced this bill to allow people to break digital locks on devices they purchased as long as it was not intended for copyright infringement. If passed, this law would have allowed for jailbreaking, servicing vehicles, ripping CDs, and more. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Timothy |date=2013-05-09 |title=Members of Congress finally introduce serious DMCA reform |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/05/members-of-congress-finally-introduce-serious-dmca-reform/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-24 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref> The law was assigned to the Ways and Means Committee on May 8, 2013. That committee had done nothing on the bill by December 18, 2013, so it was reassigned to the, Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet subcommittee, which also did nothing with it.<ref name=":0" />