This Group Pays Bounties to Repair Broken Devices—Even If the Fix Breaks the Law

10 months ago by who to c/tech

Fulu sets repair bounties on consumer products that employ sneaky features that limit user control. Just this week, it awarded more than $10,000 to the person who hacked the Molekule air purifier.

TheJesusaurus 39 points 10 months ago

I feel some kind of innate shit in me in my humanness that says fixing a thing I own cannot be illegal. Period full stop no questions or exceptions.

Somehow, I'll fight whatever in court, because I'm fine with what I'm doing

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who 22 points 10 months ago

I think it would be fair to say that if you're forbidden to fix it, you don't truly own it.

Keep it up, sister!

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TheJesusaurus 6 points 10 months ago

I'm a dude. Don't necessarily not call me that but just so you're aware. Thanks sister

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who 22 points 10 months ago

All I could do was guess based on very little info. Doesn't really matter; it was figurative, not literal. :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Internet,_nobody_knows_you're_a_dog

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TheJesusaurus 9 points 10 months ago

Fair enough

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sukhmel 3 points 10 months ago

I think, legally forbidden fixing could make sense for things that people's life depends on, like health devices, or amusement park installations, or aviation. On the other hand, I don't know if that is applied reasonably in reality (likely not)

Edit: I mean, even in that case the repairs are allowed, but only for a qualified party

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InevitableWaffles 3 points 10 months ago

As someone who has worked on and worked with people who design medical devices, don't let them fool you. They are just normal electronics with better testing and parts (usually). The general markup on medical devices is so extreme and they want to keep it that way. Its why repair outside of official vendors is next to impossible. The industry is a scam.

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shalafi 2 points 10 months ago

Managed a reprographics shop where our #1 vendor had a lock on repairmen. We had to pay $10,000 for the training fee, and I think we had to re-up on that occasionally. The tech's laptop had to have a key to login to the machines for diagnostics. He couldn't even manage most mechanical repairs because the software wouldn't allow it.

Océ is the asshole manufacturer, so you all know what not to buy.

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sukhmel 1 point 10 months ago

I can try to summarise my view like this: I believe, that in practice most of critical system repair locks are scam because everyone just hopes that shit will hold long enough; I was writing about why it could be reasonable if it was actually done with proper care by licensed people, and why repairs done by an unlicensed technician could be dangerous

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Poach 1 point 10 months ago

Are you including cars?

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sukhmel 2 points 10 months ago

Only if it's a special transport, i.e. an ambulance, a fire truck, or such

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AI_toothbrush 2 points 10 months ago

And they also fund far-righters.... whyyyyyyy