What is the right-to-repair movement?
If you own something, it is natural to expect to have the information and the tools to repair it yourself or take it to a technician. While this is possible with older appliances, modern technology has made the repair concept almost impossible. According to The New York Times, most American shoppers are legally allowed to repair whatever they buy. Still, in practical terms, people are denied the information and parts to do so. This is where the right-to-repair movement comes in.
According to The Repair Association, a right-to-repair advocacy group, everyone should have access to manuals, software updates, and the parts and tools to service devices. Devices should be designed in such a manner to ensure that repair is possible, and the government should legalize unlocking a device so that an owner can install custom software.
In 2021, the New York State Senate voted to pass the Digital Fair Repair Act, an electronic right-to-repair legislation, which made the senate the first legislative body in the U.S. to approve such a law.
And in 2022, two long-awaited laws introduced into the House of Representatives let citizens fix their pricey tech items instead of having to pay the manufacturer (or buy a new one). While one of the bills emphasizes cars, the other one focuses on copyright restrictions for electronics like iPhones.
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