Right to Repair
Who owns your chairs?
Who owns your Computer/Phone?
Some misconceptions
- Repair and tinkering do not violate copyright
- No burden on manufacturers
- Precedent in the auto industry (Mass.)
- (but not the computer bits)
What is the right to repair?
- Companies want to control property even after you bought it
- Making repair risky and difficult
How you're being ed
- Planned obsolescence
- Killing local repair
- Over-priced insurance
- Killing the second-hand market
- Harder to get replacement parts
- Enforces digital divide
- Ecological impact
- Restrictions on tinkering = cybersecurity risk
How to stay "Premium"
- Goes after 3rd-party resellers (eg Amazon)
- Admits to slowing down old iPhones
- Chips to kill laptops with unauthorized parts
- Works with Customs and Border patrol to seize unofficial parts
Legislation
- 19 states attempting to pass legislation
- In New York - Joseph Morelle's "Fair Repair Act"
- Similar to Mass legislation, but for CPUs
- Never went to a vote
- Big lobbying push lead by Apple ($18,189)
What you can do
repair.org
eff.org
Prefer repair-friendly companies (eg Dell and Lenovo)
Support DIY and makerspaces
Start tinkering :)