We Deserve the Right to Repair

We Deserve the Right to Repair

(AI-assisted writing disclaimer: This piece was drafted with help from ChatGPT, but all opinions are my own.)

When you buy something, you expect to own it. Simple as that. If you drop $1,000 on a phone, or tens of thousands on a tractor, or even just a couple hundred on a laptop, it should be yours. That means you should have the right to open it up, swap a part, and keep it running without begging the manufacturer for permission.

But in 2025, that basic idea has become a battleground. The “right to repair” movement is fighting against tech giants, agribusiness, and even automakers who want to lock us out of our own stuff. They glue down batteries, hide repair manuals, use proprietary screws, and build software locks to make sure that when something breaks, you either pay them to fix it—or you throw it away and buy new.

This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about control, money, and freedom.

How Corporations Rig the Game

Take Apple. For years they’ve fought against independent repair shops, arguing that only their “Genius Bars” are safe to use. They’ve lobbied hard against right-to-repair laws and built devices where a screen replacement can trigger warning messages unless it’s “officially” approved.

Or look at John Deere. Farmers across the U.S. have been trapped by “digital handcuffs.” Their tractors are locked down with software codes that prevent anyone but authorized dealers from doing repairs. Imagine being a farmer in harvest season with a broken machine—and having to wait for a technician to drive hundreds of miles, because the company won’t let you fix your own equipment. That’s not just frustrating. It can destroy livelihoods.

The auto industry plays the same game. Cars are rolling computers now, and companies hoard diagnostic software so independent mechanics can’t compete. Meanwhile, consumers pay inflated prices for simple fixes.

The Bigger Picture

Right to repair is about more than gadgets. It’s about sustainability. Every time a phone, laptop, or appliance gets tossed instead of fixed, it adds to the mountain of e-waste choking the planet. Manufacturers push “planned obsolescence,” designing products to fail faster so you’ll buy again. That’s not innovation—it’s exploitation.

It’s also about community. When local repair shops are shut out, towns lose small businesses, workers lose jobs, and consumers lose options. Imagine your neighborhood where you can’t take your broken TV, mower, or game console to the corner shop anymore—only to some mega-corporate service center hours away. That’s the future big companies want.

And at its core, it’s about freedom. The right to repair is the right to control the tools you need for life and work. Without it, we don’t own our stuff—we just rent it from corporations, even after paying full price.

Progress and Pushback

The good news? The tide is starting to shift. New York passed a right-to-repair law in 2022, though heavy lobbying watered it down. Colorado passed one for farmers’ equipment in 2023. Other states, from Minnesota to California, have introduced or passed similar bills. Even the European Union is stepping up with stronger rules requiring companies to design products that can be fixed and supported longer.

But every time progress is made, lobbyists swoop in. They claim repair laws are unsafe, that people will hurt themselves opening devices, or that intellectual property will be stolen. Let’s be real—that’s not about safety. That’s about protecting profit.

Why This Fight Matters

At the end of the day, right to repair is about whether people or corporations have the final say over our lives. Do we live in a world where innovation empowers us—or one where innovation chains us to endless consumerism?

We deserve the right to fix our stuff. We deserve the right to keep tools, machines, and devices in our own hands. We deserve to push back against companies that think ownership ends when you swipe your card.

This fight isn’t just about broken phones or busted tractors. It’s about independence. It’s about community. And it’s about saying: we refuse to be locked out of the future we already paid for.

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About the Author

DJ for Change is a writer, builder, and community-minded voice in New York’s Capital District. With a background in real estate and remodeling, DJ advocates for innovation, sustainability, and empowering communities to control their own tools, resources, and futures.