Lobbyists imply right to repair helps domestic abusers, pushes racism and redlining!
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN mentions it mainly as an example of the manufacturer-backed arguments used against right to repair.
What it is
Louis Rossmann reacts to lobbyist ads in the Massachusetts right-to-repair ballot fight that suggest repair access would enable domestic abuse and discrimination, and urges support for the campaign.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2021 to 2023.
What Hacker News said
Critical bogwog · 2021-05 · on “One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks”
Strange how it's still the top comment in this thread, even though it's a personal attack that has nothing to do with the actual topic, or make any attempt to discuss his arguments. Seems like the type of tactic you'd see from those lobbyist groups that pay money to release commercials claiming right to repair will lead to rape: [this video]
Critical Crosseye_Jack · 2021-07 · on “I've got a broken combine harvester – manufacturer won't give me software key”
Just stating what the arguement will/has been. It was a simpliar aguement to what what was recently stated in auto right to repair [this video] - not terrorists but still pretty dam high on the fear factor. I fully agree that its just a single supplychain hack away from remote bricking not just John Deere but also pretty much anything connected. I'm just trying to make the point that the other side are not against using scare tactics already, do we really want to push them to even greater scare tactics? EDIT: Remember, its not the geeks you have to win over, its the general public and / or lawmakers (who stereotypically have not always what I would call "geeks") that have to be won over. Thankful
Critical NullPrefix · 2021-09 · on “Man who unlocked nearly 2M AT&T phones gets 12 years in prison”
It's the generic "Terrorism and rape will happen if you are allowed to control your own device that you actually paid money for" FUD. And the rape part is not an exaggeration, it was actually used as an argument against the Right to Repair ( [this video] ), wouldn't be suprised to hear it in this case too.
Critical LtWorf · 2023-02 · on “Why Browsers Are Essential and How Operating Systems Are Holding Them Back [pdf]”
Are you the guy who made the famous spot against right to repair? You know… if you can repair your phone you will get raped. [this video]