We Are Systematically Advancing Repair
Our members have been effective voices in all corners of government. We've pushed bills through Congress, effectively influenced the US Supreme Court, made sure that the US Copyright Office no longer ignores repair, shamed manufacturers into reversing bad policies, and advanced repair and reuse in standards bodies worldwide.
Our copyright law has a dark corner: section 1201 of the DMCA. We’ve been systematically fixing it with petitions every three years to the copyright office, winning the right to fix tractors and secure IoT devices.
Google, the world’s dominant advertising giant and search engine, has entirely shut off online advertisements for third-party repair services on its platforms. This issue deserves scrutiny. Repair shops who cannot find customers cannot help them, regardless of their access to manuals or parts.
Our extensive report details how technology companies are standing in the way of stronger green electronics standards.
We know -- its hard to find new product reviews that talk about repair, but there are tell-tale signs of trouble ahead if you do a bit of research before buying.
Parts: Search the manufacturer website for parts availability for the model you are considering. No parts? Red Flag.
Contracts: Search the manufacturer website for copies of the purchase agreement warranty agreement and End User License Agreement. Hard to find? Red Flag.
Support: Check the manufacturer website for their service and support options. If the only option is to ship the item to the manufacturer - thats a red flag as well.
Monopolies that are earned through excellence are not damaged – but those that are maintained by preventing competition are illegal under the law.
Warranty-void-if-removed stickers are illegal, and we’re crusading to get them removed from products everywhere.
We’ve been in front of the FDA not just for the “Nixing the Fix” Study but consistently pushing for more engagement in protecting consumers from violations of current law.