A lot of technology companies, such as Nintendo and Sony for our purposes, have language in their warranty policies that aim to dissuade users from repairing their purchased items. Companies also don’t want you to use third-party items, such as unofficial chargers or parts. Before, doing things like that voided warranties. But the FTC says that’s not legal, and is starting an effort to crack down on companies attempting these consumer restrictions.
The FTC announced that this week, the agency sent warnings to six different companies for these policies, which the FTC argues violate a 1975 law that is meant to protect consumers’ rights to seek or perform repairs on their own purchased devices. These warning letters demand the companies in question not only stop voiding warranties, but also remove the language in question from their policies. This warning comes with a 30-day deadline.
Many companies have put barriers in place to ensure official repair workers are able to determine if customers have attempted to open their hardware. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both have stickers, for example, that will tear upon opening the devices. The FTC and other legislative bodies have attempted to speak out against or fight these policies in the past, but now the FTC appears to be making a new effort to go after hardware makers specifically.
Source: Ars Technica