User resistance and repurposing: a look at the iOS ‘jailbreaking’ scene in Brazil

Adriana Amaral

University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos - Brazil

Rosana Vieira de Souza University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos - Brazil

The 14th Annual Conference of the Association of Internet

October 23 - 26, 2013, Denver, CO - USA

Quick Overview

• The mobile environment

• Jailbreaking as resistance

• Purpose

• Methods

• Discussion: motivations and critical incidents

• Conclusions

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The Mobile Environment

• The rise of “closed spaces” in the mobile environment (Benkler, 2006; Galloway, 2006 and Zittrain, 2008)

• Computer-mediated platforms and the role of mobile operating systems (e.g. iOS, Android)

• Apple iOS devices (iPod, iPhone, iPad) as highly controlled spaces

• Handsets tied to a specific carrier

• Third-party apps not allowed

• Users’ strategies to unlock the handset and the desire to run unofficial apps (out of the official App Store).

4

Jailbreaking as Resistance

• The practice called ‘jailbreaking’ has emerged in 2007 as

an alternative to Apple’s restrictions

• Jailbreaking allows users to change a device’s operating

system to run a number of applications not approved by

Apple or to open up additional features

• The procedure includes the download of free computer

software that installs a hack onto the device and the

installation of an alternative store called Cydia

• Around 22.8 million jailbroken iOS devices running Cydia

Store (Perez, 2013)

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Jailbreaking as Resistance

• Tools and the iOS hacker communities:

• Redsn0w (by the iPhone Dev Team)

• Spirit and “JailbreakMe 2.0” (by Comex)

• Evasi0n (by Evad3rs)

• Absinthe (by Chronic Dev Team)

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“JailbreakMe is the easiest way to free your device. Experience

iOS as it could be, fully customizable, themeable, and with every

tweak you could possibly imagine. Jailbreaking gives you control

over the device you own”.

7 Source: Google

images

Purpose

• To discuss the growth of mobile platforms and

the emergence of user counter-power in these

environments;

• To reflect upon jailbreaking practices from the

users’ point of view.

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Methods

• Qualitative approach and data collected by

• observation of discussion forums (iPhoneMod Brasil Forum);

• in-depth interviews with jailbreakers;

• This preliminary phase of interviews was conducted from

April to June 2013 (24 critical incidents from 12

interviewers):

• motivations for jailbreaking;

• critical events perceived as highly significant for either

success or failure of the practice (Critical Incident Technique,

Flanagan, 1954).

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Methods

• CIT:

Think of a recent situation regarding the jailbreaking

experience with your mobile phone. Describe the

situation and exactly what happened.

1. When did the incident happen?

2. What specific circumstances led up to this

situation?

3. What did you do? (coping strategy do deal with

the event)

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Discussion Screenshot of jailbroken iPhone Home screen with

personalization app 11

Source: data

collection

Discussion

1. Users motivations to engage in jailbreaking practices

• High performance handset + freedom to optimization =

experience that resembles the flexibility provided by the

internet;

• Need to extend the device capabilities in order to keep it more

personalized;

• Trade-off: concerns about the high costs of the iOS devices in

the Brazilian market:

• too expensive to risk vs. too expensive for not expanding their

capabilities;

“You stop and think that you pay a lot for something that is not what you

expected, and since Apple does not allow you to perform a ‘test drive’ for

apps, then it is complicated” (Camila, 19)

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Discussion

1. Critical Incidents

• iOS updates

“I’m always running an older version of the iOS cause it takes time for them [the hacker community] to crack the program. iTunes keep on asking me for updating but if I

update the version I have in my device I will lose my jailbreak and Cydia” (Breno, 26)

• App failure and unexpected outcomes

“In the jailbreaking world you can never know for sure (…) when I know the app is very important for my presentations, I need to buy it ‘cause I cannot take the risk of having

an unstable app” (James, 23)

“I consider myself experienced in jailbreaking and it was like a chock” (Camila, 19)

• Now I can, too

“Now I can, too, ‘cause I spent months seeing the games they could play in the US and I could not” (Alexandre, 17)

“Now I can play the same game as the girls, otherwise, I could not ‘cause my parents do not allow me to pay for apps” (Laila, 15)

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Conclusions

• iOS devices and their networks do not invite user innovation;

• Jailbreaking works as a social counter-power and indicates a

resistance to negative aspects of the market restrictions (control,

lack of flexibility, customization and reinvention);

• It emerges from a free culture logic that legitimates the freedom

to access, distribute or modify content and creative work;

• However, there is a permanent tension and feeling of ambivalence

• In the paradoxical nature of technology (e.g. new / obsolete)

• In the trade-offs the iOS users need to cope with (e.g. stability,

security and control vs. risk of instability and freedom)

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