We just published an opinion piece in the Daily Dot on the movement to legalize cellphone unlocking. 

Here's how it begins:

Picture this:

Your computer has died and you’re ready to upgrade. So you stroll into your friendly neighborhood Best Buy and get a great deal on a top of the line laptop. Let’s call it the DellovoMagicbook Pro.

There’s one hitch: You have to sign a two-year contract with your local Internet provider to get online. And according to this agreement, it’s actually illegal — not to mention a breach of contract — for you to “unlock” the computer and use it on other networks or install unapproved software.

Would you purchase a computer under these conditions? Seems unfair, doesn’t it? Well, as most of you probably know all too well, these conditions apply whenever you buy any kind of mobile device.

The only thing that distinguishes a cellphone from other computers is the network it connects to and the carrier that controls it. That’s it. But more than a decade of corporate-friendly policies have given companies like AT&T and Verizon control over our mobile devices.

Head on over to the Daily Dot to read the piece in its entirety.

Want to battle corporate control of our phones? Come to the National Conference for Media Reform this April in Denver! This one-of-a-kind event will feature 80 meaty panel discussions plus hands-on workshops, a film festival, art galleries, parties and a whole lot more. Register today!