US Copyright Office Wants to Permanently Legalize the Right to Repair

M

monkeymagick

[H]News
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
480
Good news for all the tinkerers out there. Motherboard reports that the US Copyright Office is recommending the US government to take action to allow the repair of any item you own, including bypassing software. According to article, consumer rights groups had to go through an exemption process to Section 1201 of the DMCA every three years, requesting permission on what circumventions are deemed lawful, decided by the Library of Congress. For years, manufacturers have been arguing that bypassing software locks are in violation of current copyright law and should be illegal.

Although this is merely an advisement from the department, the fact that they are acknowledging the issue because of not wanting to deal with the issue is remarkable. The less bureaucracy the better, right? Of course that still doesn't really solve the issue of some current tech being a pain in the butt to repair, but baby steps. I guess now I won't have to think twice about opening my Roomba and repairing the freakin' side brushes every other month or just use it for beer pong instead.

"The growing demand for relief under section 1201 has coincided with a general understanding that bona fide repair and maintenance activities are typically noninfringing," the report stated. "Repair activities are often protected from infringement claims by multiple copyright law provisions."

The office said it's received a huge increase in the number of public comments it's received about repair in the last several years, which "reflects the increasing use of access controls on a wide range of consumer devices containing copyrighted software."
 
Yes. So much yes. Its about time the people got their rights back and their freedoms didn't' get slowly eroded with ridiculous corporate shenanigans such as this (like being able to mod or fix anything should be as assumed right that is punished by the law if company's try to erode the ability to be able to).

Its sad that it has to be like this for hardware of any kind.

Next step, stop the software limitations (e.g. Inability to use software without an internet connection or servers that disappear and the software stops working etc).
 
That engine's still using an EGR valve, ewww! Get dual VCT you useless buggers!

Re: Right to repair, I'm all for this. If it gets legalised lets watch manufacturers fill their products with resin.
 
Government regulations are bad, mmmmkay. De-regulate, let the market sort this out on it's own for the benefit of the consumer.......

/See how fucking stupid that sounds when some of you say it? ;) /Don't get offended, not talking about anyone specific.
 
Question: would this include the right to tinker with software when it is the full product?

Especially interested in this because of the recent Take-two mod-carfuffle...
 
Lith1um said:
Government regulations are bad, mmmmkay. De-regulate, let the market sort this out on it's own for the benefit of the consumer.......

/See how fucking stupid that sounds when some of you say it? ;) /Don't get offended, not talking about anyone specific.
Click to expand...
This would be the government opting to not regulate or in this case not overreach due to a disregard of the constitution and a vacuum of policy coming from the Congress. So, don't get your point.
 
Lith1um said:
Government regulations are bad, mmmmkay. De-regulate, let the market sort this out on it's own for the benefit of the consumer.......

/See how fucking stupid that sounds when some of you say it? ;) /Don't get offended, not talking about anyone specific.
Click to expand...
See the issue wouldn't even be an issue if companies were honest.....The fact that they have to regulate this in the first place is bananas.
 
Lith1um said:
Government regulations are bad, mmmmkay. De-regulate, let the market sort this out on it's own for the benefit of the consumer.......
Click to expand...

Isn't some of the problem that companies are using existing copyright / patent laws to sue / prosecute people who reverse engineer their products?

EDIT: The market would take care of problems repairing things rather quickly without the government in the way.
 
"Repair activities are often protected from infringement claims by multiple copyright law provisions."

Unfortunately EULA's and ToS's can nullify or override laws.
 
I hope to God this works! Will be a huge help for farmers especially.
 
John Deere lol... I was reading up on their hardcore anti-repair practices. Their farm equipment is really crappy to repair. Think reprogramming the computer to replace a temperature sensor - The sensor can be a $20 part, but it's like $120/hr for a tech to come out and reprogram it. IIRC they use serialized parts and the computer knows when even the smallest of parts are changed out, and will refuse to run until reprogrammed. Hence the grey/black market of Deere programmers out there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rahh
like this
ruffbytes said:
Isn't some of the problem that companies are using existing copyright / patent laws to sue prosecute people who reverse engineer their products?
Click to expand...
The government granting the abusive powers to companies is 'regulation'. If the government didn't have authority over that issue, they couldn't grant those corporations an option to take legal action.
NeghVar said:
"Repair activities are often protected from infringement claims by multiple copyright law provisions."

Unfortunately EULA's and ToS's can nullify or override laws.
Click to expand...
For $40 software that's a win for the company. For a $500,000 tractor, You can afford a lawyer. But then you're back to the issue of industry non-competition.
 
jpm100 said:
The government granting the abusive powers to companies is 'regulation'. If the government didn't have authority over that issue, they couldn't grant those corporations an option to take legal action.
Click to expand...

Agreed: Trying to get Lith1um to see the error in their ways ;)
 
heretic said:
John Deere lol... I was reading up on their hardcore anti-repair practices. Their farm equipment is really crappy to repair. Think reprogramming the computer to replace a temperature sensor - The sensor can be a $20 part, but it's like $120/hr for a tech to come out and reprogram it. IIRC they use serialized parts and the computer knows when even the smallest of parts are changed out, and will refuse to run until reprogrammed.

Hence the grey/black market of Deere programmers out there.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the market fixing itself :D
 
jpm100 said:
This would be the government opting to not regulate or in this case not overreach due to a disregard of the constitution and a vacuum of policy coming from the Congress. So, don't get your point.
Click to expand...
its regulating that companies cannot complain when consumers do it. It stops an action on a companies behalf. Its regulating corporate overreach.
 
emphy said:
Question: would this include the right to tinker with software when it is the full product?

Especially interested in this because of the recent Take-two mod-carfuffle...
Click to expand...
Thats an interesting question. I'd say no because you cant prove software is "broken" and in need of "repair" just because it isnt working the way you want it to. When you design a piece of software, technically the developer could ensure that it only works under one scenario, we'll use a very specific PC build for example. As long as you have this phantom Win10 box the software will never fail. It's digital afterall and those 1's and 0's cant change. You cant say that about an alternator or generator or other mechanical component to a car though. Those parts can break down even under their intended use, hence you should have to right to fix it.
 
So if this goes through and Joe Blow decided to try and fix his $750k John Deere Tractor and causes more damage, then tries to cover it up and take it into JD to get fixed....How is that fair to JD?

What will be the processes or safe guards used to be sure that companies do not have to pay to fix something that was broken by the end user under warranty?

I have heard about this numerous times via a client that farmers will literally "overclock" their tractor engines to get more HP out of em, thus blowing out other parts,then remove said mods and claim it broke..
 
BulletDust said:
That engine's still using an EGR valve, ewww! Get dual VCT you useless buggers!

Re: Right to repair, I'm all for this. If it gets legalised lets watch manufacturers fill their products with resin.
Click to expand...

Same as they do now? LIke stupid macbooks and surfaces? If you look, it could have all been fastened with mechanical. Hate it.
 
MrGuvernment said:
So if this goes through and Joe Blow decided to try and fix his $750k John Deere Tractor and causes more damage, then tries to cover it up and take it into JD to get fixed....How is that fair to JD?

What will be the processes or safe guards used to be sure that companies do not have to pay to fix something that was broken by the end user under warranty?

I have heard about this numerous times via a client that farmers will literally "overclock" their tractor engines to get more HP out of em, thus blowing out other parts,then remove said mods and claim it broke..
Click to expand...

Same as with any other repairs/modifications not done by the manufacturer: warranty is lost and attempts to get it repaired after doing so are fraud. If the farmer is prepared to commit fraud, the dmca will not stop them anyway.

The proposed change is simply that manufacturers should not be able to use the dmca to punish said farmer for "overclocking" his own Tractor. There is nothing preventing the manufacturer from putting in the digital equivalent of a warranty seal to check if the farmer is trying to claim warranty after doing some home-tinkering. Heck, they could even put a physical seal on the connector to do this.
 
Last edited:
MrGuvernment said:
So if this goes through and Joe Blow decided to try and fix his $750k John Deere Tractor and causes more damage, then tries to cover it up and take it into JD to get fixed....How is that fair to JD?

What will be the processes or safe guards used to be sure that companies do not have to pay to fix something that was broken by the end user under warranty?

I have heard about this numerous times via a client that farmers will literally "overclock" their tractor engines to get more HP out of em, thus blowing out other parts,then remove said mods and claim it broke..
Click to expand...
Its not says that the company can't void it's warranty it saying that the company cannot sue the individual purchaser for trying to repair the product on their own. If the person voids the warranty they will have to pay to get it repaired from the OEM anyway. This is just removing the fact that companies can't hold people legally responsible for attempting to repair on their own. Basically saying they can't pigeon hole someone into requiring them to bring it in to get it fixed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top