From WIRED · Boone Ashworth · · 1m 40s
The right to repair is finally winning
From YouTube to legislation, ownership advocates are fighting back against companies that lock down devices and force subscriptions.
In brief
From YouTube to legislation, ownership advocates are fighting back against companies that lock down devices and force subscriptions. People are fed up with subscription services, digital locks, and disposable devices. Repair advocates are winning real legislative victories. Originally reported by WIRED.
A tour for the fed up
Louis Rossmann's Own Your Shit tour is traveling the US to rally people angry about subscription services, digital locks, and companies that won't let them fix their own devices.
“I'm feeling like there's finally a turning of the tide.”
The enemy: Section 1201
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act's Section 1201, passed in 1998, bans bypassing digital locks on devices. Companies use it to charge owners for access to their own hardware.
“Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act prohibits bypassing digital restrictions and locks enabled by a product manufacturer.”
Companies weaponize subscriptions
Amazon removed books from people's Kindles. Sony ended physical disc support. BMW put ads on customer dashboards. Rossmann calls these practices digital ransomware.
“He accuses companies of adding paid subscriptions to their products after customers buy them as a form of ransomware.”
People are actually angry
Audiences at the tour are fired up about losing access to devices they paid for. Economic pressure is making people want to keep devices longer, not replace them constantly.
“People feel squeezed by economic pressures as devices get more expensive and want to hang onto their devices longer.”
Europe is already moving
The European Union passed new regulations requiring companies to make products more repairable and provide easily replaceable batteries. John Deere faced a 99 million dollar lawsuit and FTC ruling for repair-blocking practices.
“New regulations require companies to help extend the life of consumer products by making them more repairable and giving them more easily replaceable batteries.”
California is watching
Rohit Chopra, former director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, now leads California's new Business and Consumer Services Agency. He's focused on stopping companies from using technology to scam people.
“New technology should not just help out people in the boardroom or in the C-suite. It's actually supposed to help all of us.”
The tide is turning
US repair advocates have blocked anti-repair bills and are pushing for federal regulation on automotive repairs and product longevity. Rossmann says audiences are more engaged than he expected.
The short version
People are fed up with subscription services, digital locks, and disposable devices. Repair advocates are winning real legislative victories.
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