Hack Your Phone, Go to Jail

thodu writes: "This bill [Mobile Telephones (Re-Programming)] in the UK aims to make it illegal for anyone to change a GSM phone's IMEI number. Though the intention in this case is seemingly for the good (to track and prevent stolen phones from being used), the line between legitimate mods and illegal hacks is increasingly becoming blurred. What next - a bill to disallow modifying your PC ?"

Re:future

[Rhombus]

hopefully it'll soon be illegal to change your mac address...

If altered MAC addresses are criminalized, only criminals wil have altered MAC addresses.

Re:Consumer's rights

[arson1]

I asked the cops the same thing when they took my sawed-ff shotgun and ruger 10-22 that I converted into a full-auto... :P

Not really a hack, but...

[Jippy_]

In my special world, anyone who download "Barbie Girl" as their ring tone would be sent to jail.

and if they had their ring set to the max volume, death.

=-Jippy

Re:Legitimate reasons for changing the IMEI?

[Anonymous Coward]

Society has rules, if you don't like them, fucking leave it!

How, exactly?

Shhhhh!

[Anonymous Coward]

What next - a bill to disallow modifying your PC ?

Quiet! Don't give them any ideas

Fight the power!

[bobgoatcheese]

Before you know it it'll be illegal for me to rip the tags of my mattresses!