White House petition to unlock cell phones hits 100,000 trigger
President Obama can't overturn the Library of Congress' decision, but he can -- if he chooses -- call for a new law restoring Americans' right to unlock mobile devices they legally purchased.
- The petition, which passed the threshold last night and now stands at more than 102,000 signatures, protests a regulation from the Library of Congress that prohibits unlocking phones without the carrier's permission -- even when a customer's contract with the carrier has expired.
- A petition asking President Obama to oppose a new rule restricting cell phone owners from unlocking their devices has passed the 100,000 mark, meaning the White House is now obliged to respond.
- The petition is partly symbolic: The Library of Congress and the U.S. Copyright Office are part of the legislative branch, not the executive branch, meaning that Obama cannot overturn the decision even if he disagreed with it.
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