Tell the FTC: People just want to fix their stuff!

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

U.S. PIRG, Repair.org and iFixit are calling on the FTC to take real action to protect your right to repair, including:

  • Enforce the law against companies who use illegal tying arrangements to force consumers to purchase connected repair services.

  • Enforce the law against companies who violate the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act by voiding warranties when a consumer fixes something themselves or uses third-party parts or repair services.

  • Enforce the law against companies who refuse to sell replacement parts, diagnostic and repair tools, or service information to independent repair providers.

  • Publish new guidance on unfair, deceptive, and abusive terms in end user license agreements (EULAs) that: restrict independent or self repair; restrict access to parts and software; prohibit the transfer of user licenses; that and that purport to void warranties for independent or self repair.

  • Issue new rules prohibiting exclusivity arrangements with suppliers, customers, and repair providers that exclude independent repair providers and suppress competition in the market for repair services.

  • Issue new rules prohibiting companies from deceiving customers by selling products which cannot be repaired without destroying the device or cannot be repaired outside of the company’s own service network, without disclosing that fact at the point of sale.

To: Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
From: [Your Name]

Dear Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Slaughter and FTC officials,

When we’re forced to use only the manufacturer’s authorized service to repair equipment -- which is common in everything from tablets to tractors -- those authorized services can overcharge the customer, or push us into buying new instead of fixing our current device. That results in long wait times for repairs, price gouging and unnecessary electronic waste.

We support the FTC's investigation into barriers to repair, but an investigation alone isn’t going to protect us from manufacturers. We have steadily seen devices get less repairable, and previous reports have not proven an effective deterrent. The FTC must do more. We urge you to enforce the law against companies who violate consumer protection and competition laws, and to announce new initiatives that protect consumers from anticompetitive repair practices, such as those supported by Right to Repair advocates.