It's illegal to repair most of our devices. There's a surprising reason for that.
Repairing electronic devices has become increasingly difficult due to laws that restrict self-repair. These regulations, rooted in historical copyright debates, have led to significant environmental consequences and consumer frustration. The right-to-repair movement is gaining traction, with bipartisan legislative efforts aimed at easing these restrictions.
- ▪Most electronic devices cannot be repaired by consumers due to restrictive laws.
- ▪The U.S. produces about 43 lbs of electronic waste per person annually, with only 25% being recycled.
- ▪Bipartisan legislative initiatives are underway to support the right-to-repair movement.
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Technology Engineering Electronic Engineering It's illegal to repair most of our devices. There's a surprising reason for that. If your phone breaks, it's impossible to fix it yourself. The reason for that lies with a set of laws that emerged decades ago. By Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy published 25 May 2026 in Opinion When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Betamax video recorders like this one helped set off a chain of events leading to bans on repairing your own devices.
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