Right To Repair: Myth vs. Fact

Myth:

Consumers have limited choice and availability for repairing electronic devices.

Fact:

Consumers have access to a vast and rapidly growing network of trained, skilled, and manufacturer-affiliated repair providers across the country that are competing for their business. This includes local retail stores, mail-in repair services, authorized and manufacturer-affiliated repairers, and “we come to you” services that are in-home or van-based — all of which provide a range of repair options with varying levels of price, convenience, and customer experience.

Myth:

Repair legislation is consumer-friendly and only has positive benefits.

Fact:

Repair legislation would give hackers digital keys to thousands of internet-connected products, including smartphones, televisions, security cameras, fire alarms, Wi-Fi routers, computers, personal assistant devices, thermostats, refrigerators, video game platforms, and more.

Myth:

There are no security or privacy risks associated with an unauthorized repair shop.

Fact:

Repair shops that are unaffiliated with manufacturers may not require the security and safety training that is mandatory for authorized and manufacturer-affiliated repair networks. Without these protections, there is increased risk that unauthorized repairs will introduce new security and safety vulnerabilities, endangering consumers’ privacy or even allowing their products to be taken over remotely.

Myth:

Even if an internet-connected product is compromised at an unauthorized repair shop, this would not present a threat to personal safety.

Fact:

A compromised internet-connected product can cause far more harm than stolen passwords or data theft. Cybercriminals can take over smart home devices or cell phones to unlock your front door, communicate with a child, or disable a security camera to break into your home unnoticed. Further, consumers need to have assurances that their internet-connected products have been fixed by a skilled professional. They depend on products such as smoke detectors and alarm systems for literal “life or death” matters.

Myth:

Internet-connected products are easy to fix so consumers don’t need to go to authorized repair shops.

Fact:

Internet-connected products are designed with complex technologies such as lithium-ion batteries that can present safety hazards when put in untrained hands. That’s why manufacturers have strict requirements around repair processes, safety training, and technical expertise for their repair technicians. By opening repair networks to untrained professionals, the proposed legislation would jeopardize the safety of both products and consumers.

Myth:

If my internet-connected product is harmed during repair, the only person affected is me.

Fact:

We live in a digital world where more than 22 billion products are connected via the internet. When we can connect to billions of products, they can connect to us. In an internet-enabled world, a product compromised by an untrained repair technician not only affects the owner of the product, but anyone whose information may be on it.

Myth:

Proposed repair legislation would only require manufacturers to publish harmless repair schematics about their products.

Fact:

The requirements in the proposed legislation would force manufacturers to reveal sensitive technical information about their products, including source code, schematics and tools, and trade secrets. Sophisticated hackers and cybercriminals may be able to use information to circumvent security functionality. The proposed legislation would create a security risk for the use of a product, the network, and other devices connected to the network, and could allow for tampering with firmware controls that manage device functionality and protect copyrighted works.

Myth:

Manufacturers are intentionally designing electronic products to have short life cycles and are increasing the amount of e-waste our nation generates.

Fact:

Manufacturers design products to meet consumer demand. In the U.S., electronic product manufacturers have developed robust policies and programs to ensure that they are continuously improving the sustainability of their products and reducing overall amounts of e-waste generated. Not only is repair and reuse in the manufacturers’ best interest so that consumers can continue to use and enjoy their products, but many manufacturers are returning still-useful electronic products to active service so they can get the maximum benefits out of the resources used to make them. Existing policies and programs promote repair and reuse of electronic products without the consumer safety, security, or privacy concerns raised by the proposed legislation.

Myth:

Proposed repair legislation would only impact large manufacturers of electronic devices.

Fact:

Local small businesses and entrepreneurs make significant investments to become authorized and manufacturer-affiliated repair centers and earn the trust of their customers. Proposed repair legislation would penalize these small businesses by giving unvetted third parties access to sensitive diagnostic information, regardless of whether the protections afforded by the authorized and manufacturer-affiliated repair relationship are in place.

Myth:

There are no intellectual property concerns with repair mandate bills

Fact:

Manufacturers make significant investments in the development of products and services, and the protection of intellectual property is a legitimate and important aspect of sustaining the health of all industries. Many diagnostic programs are developed by the manufacturer at significant cost and are confidential or licensed under a contractual arrangement. Providing unauthorized repair facilities and individuals with access to trade secrets and proprietary information without contractual safeguards creates manufacturer, supplier, distributor, and repair network risk. Copyright owners rely upon a secure ecosystem to safeguard their copyrighted works against sophisticated piracy efforts, or worse, reverse engineering to find "backdoors" to security controls. We stand against efforts to make it easier for bad actors to reverse-engineer consumer products and create counterfeit devices.

Myth:

Manufacturers hike up repair prices and operate service as a for profit business.

Fact:

Manufacturers aim to support their customers’ post-sale needs. This is about commitment to customers and not an elaborate scheme to make money. Our authorized and affiliated networks charge reasonable prices that are tied to their investments in ensuring quality repair.

Myth:

Manufacturers do not offer free-of-charge warranty repairs.

Fact:

Manufacturers provide free-of-charge repairs for service events covered under warranty, and they stand behind these repairs when they are made within the authorized network. Unauthorized repair providers do not support free-of-charge warranty repairs.

Myth:

Device features and functions will all work after an unauthorized repair.

Fact:

Unaffiliated repair providers may not test to assure that all the device functions and features are operational before or after a repair. Unauthorized repairers often do not have the training to conduct repairs safely and securely. Legislation that forces manufacturers to make parts available to untrained, unqualified repairers certainly does not mean those very parts will be used in the actual repair. A manufacturer affiliated repair provider only uses genuine parts which – with an OEM’s oversight and mandated work authorization forms – helps ensure devices function as intended and customers understand what will be done to their device before agreeing to a repair. Without these assurances and mandated work authorization forms, this legislation could mean that customers would be at risk of “bait and switch” practices when an independent repairer does not actually use a genuine part, which could impact performance, safety, and potentially warranty coverage for any resulting damage.

Myth:

Repair legislation proposals do not jeopardize the security and safety of consumers.

Fact:

Provision of systems that enable security locks to be bypassed – such as factory reset protection (FRP) – outside of a secure OEM-managed network could make consumers more vulnerable to providers who may put their data at risk. FRP is a security feature that prevents a lost or stolen phone from being unlocked by other persons. There are strict rules about determining ownership in order to unlock a device. This legislation could force an OEM to provide access to these tools/systems, which would in effect bypass our security requirements and threaten the data security of owners whose devices are either lost, stolen, traded-in, or sold. Moreover, industry works with government entities and law enforcement to implement measures to decrease thefts of mobile devices. Tools such as FRP being available outside of our managed networks could put the consumer at a broader risk to theft of devices and even physical risk due to the nature of crime.

Right To Repair: Myth vs. Fact

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