A new report tonight from Motherboard claims that an Apple spokesperson lobbied against California’s latest right to repair legislation by talking up consumer safety risks to lawmakers, an approach the company has used multiple times before.
Motherboard’s anonymous sources said that an Apple spokesperson who is also a lobbyist for the trade organization CompTIA brought an iPhone to meetings with California lawmakers. The lobbyist is said to have demonstrated the internal components of the smartphone to legislators and highlighting the safety risks to consumers in scenarios like a punctured lithium-ion battery.
This is the same tactic Apple and other manufacturers have previously used, like in a 2017 Nebraska case, and even Apple’s SVP of environment, Lisa Jackson has brought up the concern.
California’s Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee is set to vote today on the latest right to repair legislation, but many feel the bill will fail with these latest lobbying efforts being unveiled.
Apple just killed #RightToRepair legislation in California by telling lawmakers that consumers will hurt themselves trying to fix their own iPhones.
Give this a RT if you've ever done a DIY-iPhone repair and you didn't blow yourself up in the process. 🔥https://t.co/TfsjaSfweR pic.twitter.com/wtLN6yHgzb
— Kay-Kay Clapp (@kaykayclapp) April 30, 2019
As we’ve previously reported, pro-right to repair groups and companies like iFixit find it hard to reconcile Apple’s environmental goals while it fights repair legislation like this.
What do you think? Is it best for Apple to be this cautious on behalf of consumers, or should users be able to make the choice for themselves? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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