PROPAGANDA WATCH

Anti Right to Repair Scare Tactics

One good thing that happened in 2020 was the big R2R win in Massachusetts. The people saw through the propaganda, lobbyists, and misinformation thanks to a clear and concise message that accurately explains what Right to Repair is, who is for it, who is against, and what is at stake.

This tweet from @WesternEDA (Western Equipment Dealers Association) expresses the sentiment of those fighting against R2R, that allowing people the to choose how they repair their equipment is full of unknown dangers, that they must be protected from.

R2R evokes a can-do spirit and common sense. Unfortunately, that’s not what R2R is really about. Simply put: R2R proposes government-sanctioned intellectual property theft and promotes illegal modification. Read More: https://t.co/sTAwcTahcd #Canada #RightToRepair #WEDA #R2R pic.twitter.com/99OUBizDCc
— WEDA (@WesternEDA) February 4, 2021

The Truth

What is right to repair?
Right to Repair is a movement advocating for legislation across the United States that would require original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) provide consumers and independent repair businesses equal access to repair documentation, diagnostics, tools, service parts and firmware as their direct or authorized repair providers.

This effects electronics, cars, boats, farm equipment, bicycles, jet skis, penis pumps, mansiers, and more!

Do you feel that having a third-party vendor repair your MacBook is a violation of “Proprietary” rights?

Should you be able to buy parts for your car online and have your mechanic fix it, or should the dealerships have exclusive access to those parts?

A driving force behind educating people on this issue, is Louis Rossman, who runs a Computer Repair shop in New York City and has a very successful YouTube channel.

Here is his testimony in support of Senate Bill 0412 in Maryland

RIGHT TO REPAIR

Written Testimony
by Louis Rossman of Rossman Repair Group Inc.

IN SUPPORT OF BILL SB0412

Introduction

Years ago, if a consumer had problems with an appliance or electronics, parts and schematics required to fully service the product were easily obtainable. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to source components for electronics repair.

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have restricted access to the parts and tools required for independent repairs to be performed. Some have clamped down so hard that even authorized repair centers are unable to obtain parts to do their job, having to replace the entire unit rather than replace a charge port. Manufacturer authorized repair centers are often not competitive or viable options by their very design.

This bill seeks to lower barriers to entry for independent repair shops, recognizing that they are a vital part of addressing the demand for quick and cost effective repairs. Independent repair is valued by consumers for its price, accessibility, and transparency. Consumers will have their needs met best by competition among independent firms. In my experience, companies that profit from decreased competition in the repair industry use fear/uncertainty/doubt to scare legislators into sidelining the bill. I have provided all of their arguments below with cited counter-arguments. I believe that all arguments from companies that benefit from having monopolies in the repair industry that lack citations should be treated with reasonable skepticism.

“It’s unsafe for people other than authorized service providers to replace the iPhone batteries.” 🍎

“Non-compliant technicians”

Mechanic vs Boat Dealer