Electronics right to repair

Electronics right to repair is proposed legislation that would provide the practical means for electronics equipment owners to repair their devices. Repair is legal under copyright law and patent law. However, owners and independent technicians are often unable to make their own repairs because of manufacturer limitations on access to repair materials such as parts, tools, diagnostics, documentation and firmware.

Proposed legislation has taken note of the specific power of state governments in the US to require both fair and reasonable contracts ("UDAP") law and General Business Law which allows states to make specific requirements of businesses seeking to do business within their borders. Additionally, under US Law, the Federal Trade Commission has the specific authority to restrict UDAP violations.

While a global concern, the primary debate over the issue has been centered on the United States and within the European Union. Additional efforts are now ongoing in Canada and Australia.

Bloggers, activists and volunteer groups such as Louis Rossmann and the Repair Cafe movement started by Martine Postma are also active promoters of repair rights.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.