Challenging cybersecurity as the reason to oppose the consumer Right to Repair By Richard Forno on January 28, 2021 at 5:36 am
The so-called 'Right to Repair' is a consumer grassroots initiative that seeks to allow technology users and consumers the ability to repair, modify, or seek third-party servicing of their electronic devices in a world where the maker of those devices prefers, if not requires, customers to use only their 'authorized' services or stores/facilities. From mobile devices, televisions, and refrigerators to automobiles and farm machinery, this is becoming an increasingly problematic consumer and business issue. This week, Dr. Avi Rubin from Johns Hopkins University joined me in offering written testimony to the Maryland legislature on this technology policy matter, which has been (slightly) edited for reposting here. As cybersecurity experts with significant industry and academic career experience, we note that vendors often claim that proprietary lock-in (or access) to devices and restricting internal product information about them from public view is necessary to protect users from 'cybersecurity concerns'. We strongly disagree with that reasoning, finding it both disingenuous and false -- but not a totally unexpected approach because it certainly 'sounds good' to less knowledgeable audiences and the general public. In our remarks, we challenge this justification by describing the likely real reasons for industry's opposition to the 'Right to Repair' and illustrate in plain terms how such vendor controls present very real problems for consumers and business alike. We begin.... < - > https://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/blog/2021/01/challenging-cybersecurity-reason-oppose-consumer-right-repair _______________________________________________ Infowarrior mailing list [email protected] https://attrition.org/mailman/listinfo/infowarrior
