Free Press Action Fund Focuses on Wireless Freedom in Copyright Hearing

WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet will hold a hearing to consider updates to U.S. copyright law. The hearing will cover a wide range of topics but will spotlight mobile freedom issues raised in phone-unlocking bills unveiled during the past two weeks.

Last week, Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte introduced a bill to reverse the phone-unlocking decision the Library of Congress made in its most recent review. This followed the earlier introduction of three other bills in the Senate, each with a slightly different approach to the issue, with some focusing on fixes to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and others directing the Federal Communications Commission to require that wireless providers grant their customers permission to unlock.

Free Press Action Fund Policy Director Matt Wood made the following statement:

“As members of the subcommittee consider possible changes to copyright law, we urge them to promote consumer freedom in every decision they make, including on the important topic of wireless device locking. Each of the House and Senate bills introduced to fix this problem has its strengths and weaknesses, and each deserves a full hearing.

“Consumers should be free to unlock their wireless devices, but these devices shouldn't be shackled in the first place. We shouldn’t have to ask for permission to use our devices how we want and where we want. We urge Congress to focus on promoting true wireless freedom and consumer sovereignty as it moves legislation forward.”