CTA Seeks ‘Balance’ Between Safety and ‘Empowering’ Self-Repair

CTA “welcomes manufacturer efforts” to promote self-service repair of “complex, highly integrated, and world-changing consumer technology products,” emailed Walter Alcorn, vice president-energy and sustainability policy, of Apple’s decision to make its parts, tools and manuals available for consumers who are comfortable servicing their own devices (see 2111170034). “As manufacturers assume more responsibility for product safety and security long after their devices are sold to consumers,” said Alcorn Wednesday, “it’s important to find the balance between safety and empowering consumers to repair their devices.” Manufacturers in the FTC’s two-year investigation into repair restrictions “provided no data to support their argument that injuries are tied to repairs performed by consumers or independent repair shops,” reported the agency in May (see 2105070013). Its report also criticized the tech industry for assertions that repair restrictions protect consumers from cybersecurity risks. The FTC unanimously approved a policy statement this summer aimed at bolstering consumers’ rights to self-repair and access to third-party independent service shops by vowing to crack down on manufacturers whose restrictions are deemed to skirt antitrust or consumer protection laws (see 2107210061).