Owners of Samsung devices faced an unexpected problem. It turned out that the company requires third-party repair shops to disclose personal information about customers who brought in broken Samsung equipment for repair.
So, if a user brings his or her Samsung device for repair to an independent repair shop, Samsung requires the repair shop to send the Korean company the name, contact information, device ID, and nature of the complaint. Moreover, if it turns out that the device was previously repaired with non-Samsung components, the company requires the facility to «immediately disassemble the device and «immediately notify the company.
These requirements came to light through an analysis of the contract that Samsung requires all independent repair shops to sign in exchange for selling them genuine parts. Such requirements can be upsetting to users, as few people are happy to have their personal data shared without consent and to be asked to render their device unusable.
Experts say that consumers in the United States have the right to use third-party parts to repair devices they own under the federal Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, which governs consumer product warranties in the United States. In some states, such as New York, Minnesota, and California, the contracts Samsung is demanding would be illegal under local law.
It is also noted that creating additional obstacles to repairing devices can harm both the safety of devices and the environment, as devices that are subject to repair end up in landfills.
It should be added that a few hours before this information was disclosed, the well-known spare parts seller and repair blog iFixit announced that it was terminating its cooperation with Samsung less than 2 years after the partnership was announced.
«Samsung’s approach to maintainability is not aligned with our mission», — iFixit said in a statement.
iFixit cites high prices for Samsung parts and unrepairable Samsung devices as reasons for terminating the cooperation.
Source: Engadget
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