Why the Right to Repair is important
For far too long, big tech companies have held a monopoly on the repair of electronics. Giant corporations, greedy enough to dictate how a consumer of their product goes about maintenance and repair of their very expensive products. The Right to Repair aims to change that. The message is simple: Let the people maintain and repair their equipment as they see fit. The aim of the movement is to force major corporations and tech giants to work on behalf of the consumer. To allow third parties access to the equipment necessary to repair electronics, without the threat of a voided warranty or a bricked phone.
Monopoly
Companies would like to have a monopoly on the repair industry. If you were to have any kind of problem with your device, small or large, you would have to give the device back to the manufacturer so they can swap it out with another device. If they are unable to fix the device you would be forced to buy a new one as there would be no other alternative than the manufacturer.
Who is the Right to Repair Important to?
If you own a smartphone, computer or automobile, then the Right to Repair has a direct effect on your life. Imagine that your iPhone screen cracks after you drop it out of your bag. You proceed to search for an electronic repair shop in your neighborhood. After you find one, you call and ask if they fix screens. They inform you that they do, but there is one exception. The second the repair person opens up your phone, your iPhone warranty is voided. The alternative, which would be to send the phone to Apple, will leave you without a phone for about a week. In an age where our stocks, bank accounts and personal information are all held in our phone, this is unacceptable. You, as a consumer, deserve the right to have your $1000 device repaired in whatever manner you see fit. People like you are who the Right to Repair movement are fighting for.
So how can we make this a reality?
Click here to read more about the solution the Right to Repair is trying to achieve.
