Question: 

My 13-year old son has an iPod Touch, as does many of his friends. Several of his friends have now jailbreaked their iPods to get access to free games and different content. My son says that everybody does it and that it’s perfectly okay, but he still shops for what he needs via iTunes. Some things are free, but most of it costs money. What do you think?

Answer from Kids and Media’s advisor:

When purchasing an iPod Touch you enter an agreement with Apple, who is the sole supplier of iPod Touch and iPhone, and who also supply games and applications that are popular amongst children and young people, through their online software shop, iTunes store. If you jailbreak your iPod, you open the software so you can do anything you want with it. On an iPod or iPhone in its original state you can only install the software Apple sells through its online shop. Many people think this “monopoly” is a nuisance, whilst others see the dilemma the creators of applications or games face when they no longer get paid for their work. Apple also has a quality control on everything they sell via iTunes. If the content of an application is meant for adults, it will be marked with 18+. All other downloadable applications on iTunes will be suitable for both children and adults. Apple has strict rules for developers who make applications, and they have to be registered and approved as Apple developers. Furthermore all applications are tested thoroughly before being put out for sale. This gives us as parents a certain sense of security when it comes to what contents our kids can legally get hold of. If they jailbreak their equipment we no longer know anything about the quality of what they acquire. It’s also illegal to download games, effects and other software to your iPod or iPhone without paying for it, unless of course it is a free service. This represents a violation of the creator’s legal and economical rights, and is equal to theft!