FTC Silent on 3rd-Party Repair Report, Now Expected Tuesday

An FTC spokesperson declined comment Monday about a “landmark report” right-to-repair advocates said the agency is preparing for imminent release after its two-year investigation into how manufacturer restrictions on third-party repairs can affect 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act consumer protections. The FTC convened a July 2019 “Nixing the Fix” workshop to probe manufacturer third-party repair practices and their consumer impact (see 1907160058). The Electronic Frontier Foundation, iFixit, Repair Association and U.S. Public Interest Research Group and others had scheduled a Monday afternoon Zoom call with reporters to discuss the agency’s findings. They rescheduled it for 3 p.m. EDT Tuesday after learning the FTC “is delayed in releasing their report,” said Kerry Sheehan, iFixit U.S. policy lead.