Should consumers have a right to repair electronics? Advocacy group shares why

You’ve heard about the right to repair, but did you know that also includes your electronics? 

There's been a growing push for companies to make it easier to repair these products.

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“People are clearly becoming a little bit more aware of how ridiculous it is, how often we need to replace these expensive electronics. And so they're changing their behavior because of that,” said Stephanie Markowitz, with MASSPIRG. “And they're paying attention to how much money it's costing them.”

If you’ve ever had to replace a smartphone or laptop, you know how expensive it can be to repair electronics. So, many people end up buying a new device – a solution that not only harms the environment, but puts into question just how repairable our electronics are. 

“This is just an essential part of what we consider ownership over our stuff,” Markowitz said. “You should be able to have the resources and the information that you need to keep it working.” 

Markowitz notes Americans could save a combined $40 billion if they were able to repair instead of replace their items over the course of a year.

“This is a real issue for consumers who are trying to shop on a budget or not dedicate so much of their budget to buying new phones and computers every couple of years,” Markowitz said. 

In their latest Failing to Fix report, the largest tech companies lead the pack in smartphone repairability – a change PIRG says was largely driven by consumer demand and legislative advocacy for the right to repair. 

“Apple really took this huge leap forward where the iPhone 16 is really one of the most repairable mainstream cellphones to be released,” said Markowitz. “When manufacturers are making those repairs easier, they're really tapping into that, increasing awareness from consumers that this is a problem.” 

Laws protecting consumers’ ability to seek out independent repairs for their appliances is spreading across the nation. In Massachusetts, pending legislation filed by state Rep. Adrian Madaro and state Sen. Michael Brady would give consumers the right to repair digital devices like phones, laptops and tablets.

“People are just becoming more aware of the fact that when your battery stops taking charge doesn't mean that you need to go through this phone and drop $800 on a whole new one,” said Markowitz. “It might mean that you should be able to go and replace that battery with a repair technician.” 

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