Software lockouts shouldn’t be the reason I can’t use my car
Tethering customers to the manufacturer violates consumer rights and drives the electronic waste crisis.
New economy
As we keep producing and consuming ever-increasing quantities of “stuff,” a growing number of people are asking: Can we create an economy that values common interests, public health and the quality of our lives, over growth at any cost?
We should be able to fix our stuff when it breaks. We need easy access to the information, tools, resources and third party repair shops it takes to fix our cell phones, appliances, electronics and other equipment. That means working together to get the companies who make our stuff, to give us the right to repair our stuff. When they do, it will be better for the planet, better for our budgets, and things will work the way they are supposed to.
The Latest on New economy
Statement: FTC Takes Action Against Harley-Davidson and Westinghouse for “Illegally Restricting Customers’ Right to Repair.”
In the market for a new phone or laptop? This scorecard will tell you which popular products are built to last
Updates
Apple Launches BNPL Product: Apple Pay Later
Farmers just want to be able to fix their stuff. Tractor dealer consolidation is getting in the way.
Scrambling to find a computer for school? Learn how to shop refurbished
Featured Resources
Buy Now Pay Later plans: Tips to avoid the pitfalls
Vital and Undervalued
Repair Saves Families Big
Fixed for the Holidays
The Latest
Will buy now, pay later mean pain later?
In a new report, we question whether “Buy Now Pay Later” plans make “no fees or interest!” claims that may not be true. We find that you might be billed for canceled or backordered items, but neither the merchant nor the BNPL provider may take responsibility. You can file a comment in the CFPB’s BNPL inquiry until March 25th. Get our BNPL tips. Cover image: Courtesy iStock by B4LL, used under license
The hidden costs of ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’
U.S. PIRG reviewed data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and found that the most common complaints about “Buy Now, Pay Later” plans include hidden fees, high interest rates and problems when it comes time for debt collection.
CFPB focuses on consumer pain points
Yesterday’s announcement of a new report finding stupefying amounts of medical debt on consumer credit reports continues the Biden CFPB’s focus on identifying and responding to consumer pain points caused by a financial marketplace that doesn’t always work for consumers. The CFPB has your back! Photo courtesy Americans for Financial Reform, All rights reserved.
Crypto has gone mainstream. But where are the watchdogs?
Matt Damon strides past images of humankind’s boldest explorers: ocean voyagers, early aeronauts, mountaineers in a new cryptocurrency ad. If this were an ad for a new drug, or a regulated financial product, you’d expect the images of boldness and bravery to be accompanied by a lengthy disclaimer. You don't. Find out more. Image credit Kanchanara via Unsplash
Bipartisan bill fixes copyright restrictions on Right to Repair
AUSTIN -- If Congress passes a new bipartisan bill unveiled Wednesday, Americans will be able to fix their broken stuff without worrying that the companies that made those products will sue them. The Right to Repair Act of 2022, which Reps. Mondaire Jones (D-NY) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN), would end an unintended consequence of an outdated copyright law that outlaws certain types of repair and repair tools. The 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes it a crime to bypass digital security locks. Manufacturers can place repair functions behind these digital locks, which makes fixing the product you bought from them and own, in effect, a copyright violation -- everything from tablets to tractors.