What is 'Right To Repair' and How Does it Affect You?

As technology devices become more difficult to repair as well as an increasing amount of electronics that are ending up in our landfills, a grassroots movement called 'Right to Repair' has been growing, especially in Europe, to encourage big tech companies to make your devices much easier to fix. This movement is getting legs as New York State recently passed a right-to-repair bill. The goal of this movement has three goals. First, to increase the availability of parts for your tech devices. Second, it gives you the right to open your devices to fix them or to replace items like batteries. Finally, to keep independent technology shops open. As a regular user of technology, why should you care about this movement, and how does it affect you? Read on to find out more.

There has been a trend in recent years that tech devices, as well as home appliances, have gone from break/fix to break/replace. Take for example older cell and smartphones had the ability to have the battery replaced without tools. Same thing with laptops. If we go a little further back in time, remember the old Chilton's automobile repair guides?

There are several ways companies sabotage the repair process.