The State of Minnesota has just enacted a “right-to-repair” law, following New York’s lead in January. Popular with recyclers, the law overcame vigorous industrial opposition.
From KSTP-TV:
“The legislation, titled the ‘Digital Fair Repair Act,’ means manufacturers are obligated to make parts, tools and repair information available to consumers.
“There are several exclusions, including motor vehicles, off-road vehicles, medical devices, farm and construction equipment and specialized devices used for cybersecurity and critical infrastructure.
“All electronics are included in the ‘Digital Fair Repair Act’ except for video game consoles.”
The measure is popular among some consumer advocates. Cole Rosengren reports on Waste Dive:
“A group of 28 state and territorial attorneys general recently sent a joint letter to members of Congress asking them to ‘redouble’ their efforts on passing right-to-repair legislation for ‘automobiles, agricultural equipment, and digital electronic equipment.’”
As Megan Quinn explained in an earlier story:
“Many companies do not publish repair manuals or sell specialized repair tools widely, or they only make them available to their authorized repair partners. Bill proponents consider such tactics to be anticompetitive behavior.”
But Brian Albrecht, writing in tne MinnPost, offers a warning :
“[T]he laws are not a panacea and can lead to a host of problems. Unscrupulous repair shops with full access to a device’s software and hardware can perform substandard repairs that end up negatively affecting the manufacturer’s brand. Independent shops also may not be able to secure their customers’ privacy and data.
“More broadly, these laws can negatively impact manufacturers’ ability to protect sensitive proprietary information about how their devices work. If a bill goes too far in this regard, it can have a widespread chilling effect on innovation and investments in such products. In the long run, this could harm consumers by restricting the market for electronic devices.”