Fight to Repair

Stay updated with our weekly updates on the global battle for the right to repair. These insights are crafted and curated by Paul Roberts, the founder of SecuRepairs.org and Editor at The Security Ledger, along with Jack Monahan.

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Articles

WireCutter's Top 100 And The Wild West Of Smart Device Software Support

2 months ago | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

Every day, there are fewer chances to opt out of using smart devices. In 2023, the average U.S. home had 17 Internet-connected devices. More recent polling shows almost one in three households have a video doorbell. This boom in software-driven, Internet connected products begs the question: do people want everything in their life to be “smart”? The answer may well be “(Hell) No!”In 2025, the thrill of unboxing shiny new tech products is as American as baseball.
Asus gets an “A" for Repairability. Apple? "B-." A look at Big Tech's Repair Scorecard.

Feb 24, 2025 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

No matter who’s doing the polling, Apple gets high marks on product quality and customer loyalty. When it comes to repairability, however, the Cupertino company’s got some room for improvement. Apple scored a “B-“ in U.S. PIRG’s newly released grades on how repairable the country’s most popular electronics are. Report findings show that phones from Apple and other are, in fact, getting easier to repair. However, the same can’t be said for laptops, where repairability has stalled.
Report: Consumers In The Dark About Support For Smart Products

Feb 5, 2025 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

Consumers with smart home products may be in for a rude awakening in the years ahead, as manufacturers cease updating and patching the software that runs the devices and they lose critical features or even falter and go dark after. That’s because many consumers purchased those products with no idea if- and when software support would end, a new survey by Consumer Reports finds.
The Dirty Truth About Electronics

Jan 6, 2025 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

In this week’s podcast, journalist and author joins Jack to discuss his new book, Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future.
Oh, Canada! Copyright Act Changes Are A Big Win For Right to Repair

Nov 18, 2024 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

Breaking digital locks without needing the consent of manufacturers is now legal in Canada, thanks to the passage of two new laws in what amounts to the biggest win for repair advocates in North America. Contents: Dropped your Pixel 9 Fold? Get your wallet out!Copyright Office OKs right to repair cars. Will Congress? Australia announces $900 million fund to promote competition and repairApple doesn't want people to upgrade their Mac minis.
The quest for a 50 year old computer

Oct 17, 2024 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

YouTuber Jay Summet recently revealed his hack of an HP printer cartridge that allows him to bypass the digital locks that the company uses to stop 3rd party ink cartridges and parts from working. By disguising his banned cartridge as a genuine HP part, he is able to print and avoid the price-gouging tactics by the printer company which puts their ink at $10,000 a gallon, versus the roughly $150 per gallon a consumer pays for non-DRM protected printer ink.
Bricks on Wheels? Not so fast! Fisker EV Owners Notch Win With Bankruptcy Deal

Oct 14, 2024 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

If you were one of the thousands of Americans who purchased a Fisker Ocean electric SUV in the last year, the past few months have been unnerving in a way that few other vehicle owners in the U.S. can relate to - with the possible exception of some gray haired (deceased?) DeLorean Motor buyers from the early 1980s.
Bricks on Wheels? Not so fast! Fisker EV Owners Notch Win With Bankruptcy Deal

Oct 14, 2024 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

If you were one of the thousands of Americans who purchased a Fisker Ocean electric SUV in the last year, the past few months have been unnerving in a way that few other vehicle owners in the U.S. can relate to - with the possible exception of some gray haired (deceased?) DeLorean Motor buyers from the early 1980s.
Repair is a climate issue

Sep 30, 2024 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

Planting trees, solar panels, and electric cars are likely what we think of when we hear the word “sustainability.” But it might surprise you to hear that a 10-year old laptop, or a 7-year old phone is another example of something sustainable. So what does an old phone have to do with sustainability? A lot, actually. Research from IDTechEx that the electronics manufacturing industry accounts for around 4% of global carbon emissions. And that’s just the cost of producing electronics.
A Failed $10 Battery Hobbled This Paralyzed Man's $100k Exoskeleton. The Manufacturer's Response? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Sep 22, 2024 | fighttorepair.substack.com | Jack Monahan

Former jockey Michael Straight lost the use of his legs following an accident racing at Arlington Park back in 2009 and spent years suffering the fate of many paraplegics: wheelchair bound and dealing with twitching legs, muscle atrophy and a deep sense of loss. That changed starting in 2014, when Straight, who became passionate about helping others with spinal cord injuries, teamed up with the Miami Project at the University of Miami.