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Heltaher
Heltaher

The Right to Repair War: Who Owns the Machine?

Key Insights
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  • Manufacturers use software locks, proprietary fasteners, and digital rights management to prevent independent repairs, transforming ownership into licensed access and creating captive aftermarkets worth over $1.5 trillion.
  • The shift from selling products to subscription models allows manufacturers to control feature access, harvest usage data, and accelerate obsolescence, fundamentally changing the economics of ownership.
  • Repair restrictions create significant environmental externalities by promoting e-waste and hindering circular economies, while disproportionately impacting rural communities, low-income households, and developing nations.
  • Legislative battles in states like Massachusetts and the EU are pushing for standardized data access and repairability requirements, challenging manufacturers’ claims of safety and security.
  • The right to repair movement represents a broader struggle over technological sovereignty, pitting corporate control against consumer autonomy in an increasingly digital world.

References
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  1. Federal Trade Commission. (2021). Nixing the Fix: An FTC Report to Congress on Repair Restrictions.
  2. European Environmental Bureau. (2019). Coolproducts Don’t Cost the Earth: How Circular Economy Can Save the Climate.
  3. US PIRG Education Fund. (2021). Fighting for the Right to Repair: A Guide to the Movement.
  4. The Repair Association. (2023). State Legislative Tracker.
  5. Sandler, C. (2022). The Fight for Right to Repair Gains Ground. Engineering & Technology, 17(3), 48-51.
  6. Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee. (2020). Ballot Initiative 2020: Data Access Requirement.
  7. UN Institute for Training and Research. (2021). The Global E-waste Monitor 2020.
  8. Svensson, H. (2022). Circular Economy and Repair: A Case Study of the Automotive ECU Aftermarket. Chalmers University of Technology.
  9. Biden, J. R. (2021). Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy. The White House.
  10. iFixit. (2023). The 2023 Tech Repairability Scorecard.