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An executive order aimed at promoting economic competition and signed Friday by President Joe Biden called on the Federal Trade Commission to institute rules to limit anti-competitive restrictions that limit the ability of consumers to repair gadgets on their own terms.
Nestled in the executive order that covered 72 initiatives to promote competition in the U.S. economy, Biden specifically called on the FTC to crack down on “unfair anti-competitive restrictions on third-party repair or self-repair of items, such than restrictions imposed by powerful manufacturers. that prevent farmers from repairing their own equipment.
The ordinance is an important victory for right to repair advocates who have long championed a consumer’s choice to have their technology repaired either by third parties or by themselves, rather than just the manufacturer. The Right to Repair argues that everyone should have access to the OEM parts, manuals and software needed to perform these repairs. Major gadget makers have lobbied to prevent this kind of accessibility to repairs, but the right to repair movement has gained momentum in recent years.
Specifically, Biden has targeted cell phone makers and other tech companies, including tractor makers, who “place restrictions on repairs by themselves and by third parties, making repairs more expensive and time consuming,” for example by restricting the distribution of parts, repair tools and parts.
In a statement, Nathan Proctor, director of the Right to Repair Campaign for the US PIRG, said it was “a great day for the right to repair our things.”
“More repair choices will protect the environment by reducing the amount of new electronics we make and the old items we throw away,” said Proctor. “More choice saves money and reduces downtime waiting for the manufacturer technician, which is especially important for farmers with tight planting or harvesting schedules. It is a victory.
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