They pass dystopian chat control with one hand and does this with the other.
this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2026
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Hopefully, malicious compliance loopholes will be fixed eventually
But not games...
Unfortunately there are some exemptions. Flexible / folding displays are not covered. Fitness trackers and watches are not covered.
There is also a battery regulation coming in next year to require phone batteries to be replaceable with no tools but that has loop holes too - long life batteries aren't covered, IP67 rated phones aren't covered. So you can bet your boots those two reasons will be what makers use to bullshit their way out of it.
Having those rules is much better than not having them. Also, IP rating is not enough, batteries also need to have sufficient load cycles. So if it forces them to use only long life batteries that reduces the need for battery repkacements and is already something.
Also software... I would love to have regulations that make it clear that the root of trust on all devices need to start by the owner of the device, not by the vendor... That would allow the end users to repair the software on their devices... Replacing it with whatever else they want. Next would be to provide hardware documentation to the owners to program their own devices... I don't expect that to happen, but I can dream.
Well it's a start.
I like this for a lot of obvious reasons.
I worry about corporate malicious compliance though where the cost of a replacement part costs as much as the unit or near it to make up for lost revenue from selling whole units.
They could even get to the printer ink model where they sell the initial device for cheap or at a lost with planned obsolescence of parts that almost guarantee a replacement rate.
Water kettle stopped working, has fucking temper proof triangle head screws so can't even open it without having to buy a special screwdriver bit. name and shame : kitchenaid
I can go one further, if you ever want to do a warrenty claim with coffeemate, regardless of how small, they require you to cut the power cord.
I bought a cheap coffeemate coffee maker, and the anti-splash valve that prevents it from brewing fell off, and I lost the o-ring that was part of it as a result.
After 3 different contact points with coffee mate as their public listed email only warranty contact was incorrect and then was bounced to a couple more emails, they agreed it was a manufacturer problem, and that it was covered, but they wanted me to cut the power cord and show proof that the unit was no longer functional, because instead of sending me a 10¢ if that o ring, they wanted me to destroy a other than that one comp a perfectly functional unit, so they could send a whole new unit in it's place.
I bought a cheap oring set on amazon, so now I have more than I would ever need of orings but, at least it's less wasteful.
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For things like these I love Europe. For things like Chat Control I hate Europe
Why have a list?
Just make everything repairable.
Some items, to safely repair, need a degree and training
Such as microwaves, which if you fuck up, you've either made a bomb or a radiation leak
Because not everything can be repairable. Design and manufacture often require choices to be made. And you seldom get all of the things you want.
Why don't we let the trillion dollar company figure out how to do everything?
Because they were paid a lot of money to exclude certain products.
Started as a good idea to regulate industry for the benefit of consumers. Ends up with so many paid-for loopholes it's mostly useless.
The cynic in me thinks the only reason the law was created from the start was to extort money from big companies.
This law still has a lot of good things in it. Calling it useless is what those companies would want you to do.
I'm noticing cars are not part of the list, despite being smartphones on wheels
Presumably the germans must have lobbied tooth and nails against this.
Also, more and more products will let you know until when they guarantee production of spare parts (it's also driven by regulation of course).
regulation works.
Thank you E.U. I hope you have a run of people buying and shipping products all over the world and it pressures everyone else to follow suit.
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