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Brazil Redux: Short-Circuiting Tech-Enabled Dystopia with Right to Repair

Paul Roberts

Fight to Repair founder Paul Roberts analyzes corporate digital monopolies, anti-repair tactics, and the global legislative battle for the Right to Repair.

Summary

The Dystopian Reality of Software-Locked Hardware

From smartphones and farm tractors to hospital equipment, manufacturers increasingly deploy cryptographic serializing and software locks to outlaw third-party repair.

Deconstructing Corporate Anti-Repair Arguments

Paul Roberts dismantles manufacturer claims that independent repair compromises user security and privacy, showing how DRM consolidates market monopolies.

Analyzing the Global Legislative and Regulatory Battle

Roberts reviews recent Right to Repair executive orders, FTC enforcement actions, and state legislation mandating parts and diagnostic tool availability.

The Crucial Role of the Hacker Community in Policy Reform

The presentation calls on reverse engineers and hardware hackers to provide technical evidence and expert testimony to lawmakers fighting for consumer repair rights.

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  • Date: Aug 2024
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Paul Roberts · Chris Wysopal · Cory Doctorow · Tarah Wheeler · Dennis Giese

Panel discussion on the systemic risks of abandoned, end-of-life IoT devices and the legal and technical remedies needed.

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