WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators are moving to give consumers freedom to repair their broken cellphones, computers, videogame consoles, and even tractors themselves, or to use independent repair shops.
Regulators say manufacturers' repair restrictions often fall most heavily on minority and low-income consumers.
Responding to a new competition directive from the Biden White House, the Federal Trade Commission is advancing toward writing new rules aimed at helping small repair businesses and saving consumers money on repair costs.
The FTC commissioners adopted a policy statement Wednesday supporting the “right to repair" that pledges beefed-up enforcement efforts against violations.