The right to repair is a movement (primarily in the US) that asserts that if a person owns something, they should be able to repair it themselves or take it to a technician of their own choice. This is usually the case for non-computerized technology like household appliances, older cars, and farming equipment, but tech with a computer chip inside is practically difficult to repair because the required parts and information aren’t being circulated enough.
Some key objectives of the right to repair movement are
- Giving everyone reasonable access to manuals, schematics, and software updates
- Make parts and tools needed to service devices available to third parties, including individual buyers, at fair prices
- Legally allow unlocking and other device modifications so its owner can install custom software
- Ensuring devices are designed in such a way as to make repair possible
Advocates of the right to repair argue that these together will lead to consumers favoring repairs over replacement, making the economy more sustainable and reducing the amount of electronic waste. Where these devices are used for work, this also shift the means of production into the hands of workers, which will lead to fairer competition and create a more equitable economy.
Although a lot of repair advocates focus on consumer technology, since that affects everybody in some small way, there are also acute needs in areas like
- computerized farming equipment (John Deer tractors)
- medical equipment
- high-tech, computerized versions of cars and home appliances, which are becoming more common
- and more.
Rights You Should Know About
- Sites like iFixit sell repair tools and offer documentation for user repair. You can also search YouTube for teardown videos that show off the structure of a device you’re trying to repair.
- The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, enacted in 1975, means that the warranty-voiding seals you sometimes see on gadgets are not legally binding. (The FTC reminds you that a company can’t force you to use their own parts to keep the warranty intact.)
- There is an exemption in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) that makes it legal to “jailbreak” your devices and run custom software, which means you can extend the life of a device if its manufacturer abandons it.
- There may be more Right to Repair bills enacted at the state level that assert your rights to repair consumer electronics, automobiles, and farming equipment.