"I'm tired of being laughed out of the room, and it's about time we do something about it."
What you need to know
- A New York repair store owner is trying to crowdfund a Right to Repair bill.
- Louis Rossmann wants citizens to have a vote on legislation about how and where they can get devices like iPhones and MacBooks repaired.
- The goal of the fundraiser is $6M, and it is already garnering support.
A Right to Repair advocate is trying to crowdfund efforts to bring legislation to a direct ballot initiative, bypassing politicians.
A GoFundMe set up by Louis Rossmann states:
My name is Louis Rossmann; I run a laptop repair store, advocate for Right to Repair, and teach component level electronics repair. I have started a 501c4 nonprofit called Repair Preservation Group Action Fund which seeks to get Right to Repair legislation passed, through a direct ballot initiative. Direct ballot initiatives allow citizens to vote on legislation. This way, people - NOT politicians, decide on whether something becomes a law.
Rossmann says RTR "is the concept that you should be able to choose who repairs the device you own" rather than being "stuck" going back to the manufacturer or dealer because of restrictions around parts, manuals, or tools. The campaign says that a number of manufacturers collude with companies to keep repair shops from accessing parts. The issue affects many consumer devices including medical equipment and consumer electronics like the iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.
Apple was recently listed amongst companies lobbying against a Right to Repair bill in Nevada over concerns about data security and user privacy. Apple recently announced it was expanding its Independent Repair Provider program globally. The scheme is free to join and requires a business has one Apple-certified technician on staff.
Apple has previously stated that the cost of providing repair services as a company has exceeded the revenue generated every year since 2009.
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