FTC concludes manufacturer repair restrictions harm consumers

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Thursday issued a report on the so-called "right to repair" debate, suggesting repair restrictions put in place by companies like Apple and others negatively impact consumers and small businesses.

The report, "Nixing the Fix: An FTC Report to Congress on Repair Restrictions (PDF link)," was fulfilled at the direction of Congress and takes an in-depth look at the right to repair issue with a concentration on phone manufacturers and carmakers. Findings were issued to Congress with unanimous consent from the FTC."Many consumer products have become harder to fix and maintain," the report reads. "Repairs today often require specialized tools, difficult-to-obtain parts, and access to proprietary diagnostic software. Consumers whose products break then have limited choices. Furthermore, the burden of repair restrictions may fall more heavily on communities of color and lower-income communities. Many Black-owned small businesses are in the repair and maintenance industries, and difficulties facing small businesses can disproportionately affect small businesses owned by people of color."

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