Fighting for the Right to Repair

Guest: Gay Gordon-Byrne, Executive Director of the Repair Association. Once upon a time, electronics were simple enough that someone with a repair manual and a bit of knowhow could figure out how to fix a broken TV, stereo or camera. But electronics are a lot more complicated today, and companies that make everything from cars to phones are working to prevent repairs from happening easily. They no longer provide repair manuals free of charge. They lock down the software that runs a device so repairs can only be done by the manufacturer – at a higher price than the corner store would have charged. And, in the case of many Apple products, just opening the device up to inspect its inner-workings is virtually impossible. So, now repair shops and consumer advocates are pushing back with legislation and lobbying aimed at reclaiming the “right to repair” electronics.