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SRFF Calls on FCC to Stop Phone Software Locks

Every day, electronics are sent to refurbishers and recyclers to be put back in working order. However, while these businesses may be able to fix the physical problems with these phones and computers, software locks keep massive numbers of functional devices from working.

In a letter co-signed with a group of electronics refurbishers, repairers, and recyclers, SRFF called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), an agency regulating communications in the US, to support the movement toward a “uniform handset unlocking policy” and to “address other software locks that restrict the secondary [smartphone] market and harm consumers.”

Secure devices can last

Software locks are neither good nor bad—it’s how they are used. Technology companies claim that software locks are necessary to protect consumer data. They argue that without these locks, it would be impossible to keep data secure while allowing devices to be refurbished and passed on to new users.

The reality for repair shops looks different. Reports from last year found that Apple MacBooks, some as new as 3 years old, are being scrapped for parts and sent to landfills because of a security feature that makes the devices impossible to refurbish. Repair professional and SRFF Board Member John Bumstead called attention to the growing stacks of perfectly functional M1 MacBooks in his repair shop. The MacBooks can’t be restored and re-sold (or donated) because of an activation lock feature, first introduced in 2018, that is now standard and that binds the device to an Apple user’s account, making it impossible for anyone but the account owner to access the machine – even after the data has been wiped. In the case of these Mac activation locks, gently used products that could be cheaper options for consumers are instead being thrown in shredders and dumpsters.

Cellphones are by far the most popular devices that consumers use, making cell phone activation locks a huge problem. There must be a system in place to promote both consumer protections and long-lasting devices. It should be easier to refurbish phones, which will make them more affordable for consumers while keeping them in use longer and protecting our environment. One way to achieve a more secure and resilient future is by creating a pathway for cell phones to be used for longer periods while both protecting user privacy and addressing software locks that send phones to early graves.


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