What do ventilators, smart ice cream machines, and game consoles have in common? Fixing them could land you in trouble—lawsuits, fines, or even prison time under copyright law. We’re trying to change that.
It’s firmware’s world, and we’re only living in it. At this point in the 21st Century, almost every device imaginable contains firmware—the embedded software that controls the device. To keep you from accessing that firmware (and doing anything the makers don’t want you to), manufacturers often use digital locks called Technological Protection Measures (TPMs). Getting around these digital locks, even if you only want to fix your devices, could land you on the wrong end of a lawsuit for violating Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
We believe that restrictive firmware is a mortal danger to the future of repair, and that copyright law shouldn’t keep you from fixing your stuff—and we told the US Copyright Office so at a hearing this week.
It’s firmware’s world, and we’re only living in it. At this point in the 21st Century, almost every device imaginable contains firmware—the embedded software that controls the device. To keep you from accessing that firmware (and doing anything the makers don’t want you to), manufacturers often use digital locks called Technological Protection Measures (TPMs). Getting around these digital locks, even if you only want to fix your devices, could land you on the wrong end of a lawsuit for violating Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
We believe that restrictive firmware is a mortal danger to the future of repair, and that copyright law shouldn’t keep you from fixing your stuff—and we told the US Copyright Office so at a hearing this week.