Towards a World of Fixers Examining barriers and enablers of widely deployed third-party repair for computing within limits

Abstract

Repair of computing devices is a potentially valuable pathway to energy and material conservation. I examine current barriers and enablers in design, manufacturing, policy, and practice arenas to more efficacious and widely deployed networks of third-party repair by 2030. Current barriers include design practices that reduce device service life; manufacturing practices that fail to mitigate or eliminate toxicants and externalities (e.g., pollution, waste), the socialization of costs of harms (e.g., pollution, waste) and the privatization of profits from device sales; restrictive enduser licensing agreements (EULAs), and the criminalization of third-party repair. Current enablers include public advocacy for legislation and regulation that reduce or eliminate toxicants in electronics design and manufacturing, require manufacturers to disclose pollution releases and transfers, and enhance right-to-repair; and growing networks of independent and do-it-yourself ICT maintenance and repair (INDIY ICT M&R) practitioners and advocates. After examining these barriers to, and enablers of, more efficacious and widely deployed third-party repair, I draw together findings from our existing research on INDIY ICT M&R activity and its potential to contribute to material and energy conservation for computing within limits over the next decade.