WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers would be freer to repair their broken cellphones, computers, videogame consoles and even tractors themselves or to use independent repair shops under changes eyed by federal regulators that target manufacturers’ restrictions. The repair restrictions often fall most heavily on minority and low-income consumers, the regulators say. Responding to a new competition directive from the Biden White House, the Federal Trade Commission is moving toward writing new rules aimed at helping small repair businesses and saving consumers money on repair costs. Unavailable parts, instruction manuals, design restrictions and locks on software have made many consumer products harder to fix, regulators say.
Agency eyes ‘right-to-repair’ rules to aid consumers, shops
