The DIY gadget repair movement is growing, thanks in part to President Biden.
What is the right to repair and why is it important?
Last week, the White House issued an executive order targeting anti-competitive practices. It includes a provision that gives you the right to repair your own cell phones and other devices. Many manufacturers make it difficult to repair devices. Experts say such measures are unfair to users.
“When you buy a product, you own it, so that means you should be able to do whatever you want with it,” Lauren Benton, the CEO of Back Market, a marketplace for refurbished electronics, told Lifewire in an email interview. “But that’s not always the case with our expensive cell phones and laptops and other electronic devices today.”
Technology companies are imposing restrictions on self-service and third-party repairs, "making repairs more expensive and time-consuming, for example by restricting the distribution of parts, diagnostic equipment, and repair tools," the White House said in a statement announcing the executive order.
