Australian IT service provider Interactive has expressed serious concerns that tech manufacturers are using tactics such as “digital locks” to control or limit access to firmware updates, which may ultimately harm consumers’ ability to easily repair their own electronic devices.
“We’ve observed instances where the customer needs to enter into a direct maintenance services contract with that company, as opposed to a third-party provider, like ourselves, as the only way to practically access updates to this firmware,” Interactive business transformation and legal director Ari Bouras told the Productivity Commission on Wednesday.
