Microsoft Supported Right-to-Repair Bill: Is Big Tech Becoming More Consumer Friendly?

Unlike the usual reaction of tech companies toward right-to-repair bills, Microsoft chose to support a recent bill that would enable device owners to repair broken devices more easily thus saving money and reducing electronic waste.

Microsoft Breaks From The Tech Industry Norm

Normally, when tech companies address right-to-repair legislation, they oppose it claiming that limiting the repair process reduces cybersecurity and safety risks.

Additionally, the companies make more profits when customers upgrade or send back their devices to the manufacturer because there aren’t many options for repairs.

However, in March, Microsoft through its senior director of government affairs, Irene Plenefisch, sent an email to the Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee of Washington State’s Senate, to inform them that the tech giant was in support of the bill to repair consumer electronic devices.

In the email, Plenefisch said:

I am writing to state Microsoft’s support for E2SHB 1392. This bill fairly balances the interests of manufacturers, customers, and independent repair shops and in doing so will provide more options for consumer device repair.

Few right-to-repair laws have succeeded in recent years despite dozens of state legislatures considering them because of adamant opposition from device manufacturers and trade organizations that represent them.

Unfortunately, the Right-to-repair bill failed in Washington a week later due to opposition from the three Republicans on the committee and Senator Lisa Wellman, a Democrat and former Apple executive. Apple is known to oppose the right-to-repair legislation. During a hearing, Wellman backed the iPhone manufacturer’s view that it is already doing enough on repair.

According to repair supporters, despite the bill’s failure to go into effect this year, Microsoft’s support, which is a remarkable first for a significant U.S. tech company, is bringing other manufacturers to the table to discuss the specifics of other right-to-repair measures.

Nathan Proctor, the head of the U.S. Public Research Interest Group’s right-to-repair campaign said:

We are in the middle of more conversations with manufacturers being way more cooperative than before. And I think Microsoft’s leadership and willingness to be first created that opportunity.

The implementation of the Right-to-repair legislation would require manufacturers to provide everyone with access to spare parts and information on how to.

Supporters contend that facilitating repair will enable consumers to keep using older devices for longer, saving them money and lowering the environmental effect of technology, including electrical waste and carbon emissions from producing new products.

The first electronics right-to-repair law in the nation was passed by New York State last year, but before the governor signed it, tech lobbyists persuaded her to weaken it through a series of changes.

Reshaping the Conversation Around Repairing Devices

Like every other consumer tech company, Microsoft also has a history of opposing right-to-repair legislation while only allowing its network of “authorized” repair partners access to replacement parts, tools, and repair paperwork. The company even aided in killing the repair bill in 2019.

However, due to pressure from shareholders, the company has reviewed its position on the matter in recent years. Microsoft adhered to the agreement by enhancing access to replacement parts and maintenance equipment, notably by collaborating with the online repair manual provider iFixit.

The software giant also commissioned research that discovered that fixing rather than replacing Microsoft equipment can significantly cut both waste and carbon emissions.

Additionally, Microsoft has begun working more cooperatively with lawmakers on right-to-repair legislation. The business spoke with lawmakers from Washington and New York in late 2021 and early 2022 about their respective right-to-repair laws in meetings that legislators and advocates characterized as fruitful.

Microsoft’s official stance on an electronics right-to-repair law that the Washington state House filed in January 2022 was neutral, which was hailed “a really big step forward” in a committee hearing.

Wrapping Up

Despite the bill failing last year, Microsoft has shown its support again when the bill was brought back this year.

While the bill made good progress past the House, it failed again in the Senate. All in all, Microsoft’s public support of the Fair Repair Act has enabled stakeholders to have the conversation surrounding devices, their use and repair as well as electronic waste.

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