Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026)

2026-06-03T20:03:58Z

Left4Code: /* Consumer and media response */ added my original customer responses and moved the general idea statement to the bottom. I will try to fix this up later.

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Subscription,Terms of Service,Service Degradation
|Description=On July 2, 2026 Amazon will add ads & drop offline downloads from the Prime music benefit, steering members to paid Music Unlimited
}}

On June 2, 2026, [[Amazon]] notified Prime members by email that, effective July 2, 2026, the music benefit bundled with a Prime subscription will begin carrying advertisements and will stop supporting offline downloads, with HD, Ultra HD, and Spatial Audio reserved for the separately paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="medianama" /><ref name="businessstandard" /> Members keep on-demand access to the catalog of more than 100 million songs & 15 million podcast episodes, but to restore ad-free, offline, high-fidelity listening they must subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited at a cost on top of what they already pay for Prime.<ref name="inc42" /><ref name="indiatv" /> The change rolled out in India, with the same email reported by a user in Australia.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Background==

Amazon bundled a music service with Prime membership for years as one of several perks alongside Prime Video and shopping benefits.<ref name="medianama" /> In November 2022, Amazon expanded the bundled catalog from 2 million songs to its full library of more than 100 million tracks, but limited Prime-tier playback to shuffle mode based on artist, album, or playlist. Prime members kept on-demand play & downloads for a set of curated All-Access playlists, while full on-demand selection across the catalog & downloads of any track required the paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="variety" /><ref name="aboutamazon" /> That 2022 expansion kept the Prime music benefit ad-free.<ref name="aboutamazon" /> The 2026 change is separate: it introduces ads, removes offline downloads, and reserves high-fidelity audio for Amazon Music Unlimited.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" />

==The 2026 changes==
[[File:Amazon Prime Music Email Picture.jpg|alt=Amazon Prime Music Email|thumb|Amazon Prime Music Email]]
The email Amazon sent to existing Prime users on June 2, 2026 read:

<blockquote>''Starting July 2, 2026, your Amazon Prime Music benefit will include ads and no longer support downloads. You'll still have access to over 100 million songs and 15 million+ podcast episodes, on demand. To continue enjoying unlimited music, ad-free, and listen offline, now with HD & Spatial Audio, try Amazon Music Unlimited at a special offer for Prime members.''</blockquote><ref name="medianama" />

Inc42 reported that the Prime Music benefit will continue to offer on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and over 15 million podcast episodes, but will no longer be ad-free and will not allow downloaded content to be played offline once the changes take effect.<ref name="inc42" /> Downloaded files are not deleted. Amazon told subscribers their downloaded music & podcast episodes will remain in their library, and that starting July 2 they will only be able to stream them while online.<ref name="inc42" /> India TV reported that Prime members keep access to the song and podcast library but lose HD & Ultra HD streaming, Dolby Atmos & Spatial Audio, and offline downloads, and begin hearing ads on July 2.<ref name="indiatv" />

==Tier restructuring and pricing==

Alongside the change, Amazon split its music service into three tiers. Amazon Music Unlimited is the paid plan, with on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and podcasts, ad-free playback, offline downloads, & HD, Ultra HD & Spatial Audio including Dolby Atmos. Amazon Music for Prime is the ad-supported middle tier included with membership, with full on-demand catalog access but no offline downloads. Amazon Music Free is a forthcoming ad-supported tier with limited features.<ref name="businessstandard" /> What's Trending described the effect on existing subscribers, writing that ''"Prime members now land in the middle tier"'' with ads, no downloads, and no HD audio.<ref name="whatstrending" />

In India, Amazon Music Unlimited costs Rs 99 per month for Prime members, who can try it free for six months before the subscription renews at that rate; non-Prime users get a three-month free trial.<ref name="businessstandard" /> Reporting on the non-Prime monthly price differed: Business Standard listed Rs 119 per month, while India TV listed Rs 199 per month.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" /> India TV characterized the structure as a push toward the paid plan, writing that ''"Amazon is clearly steering Prime users toward the paid option."''<ref name="indiatv" />

The following table from AboutAmazon lists the tier breakdown of the new subscription tiers and their pricing for Amazon Music users in India:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launches in India: Price, plans and how to get six months free |url=https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210853/https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=aboutamazon.in |publisher=Amazon Staff}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!TIER
!WHAT YOU GET
!PRICE
|-
|Amazon Music Unlimited
|100M+ songs on-demand, ad-free; HD, Ultra HD and Spatial Audio (incl. Dolby Atmos); offline downloads; top podcasts
|₹99/mo (Prime members); ₹119/mo (non-Prime)
|-
|Amazon Music for Prime members
|Full on-demand access to 100M+ songs and podcasts, with limited ads, without offline downloads—included with Prime at no extra cost
|Included with Prime
|-
|Amazon Music Free
| Full catalogue, ad-supported listening—coming soon
|Free
|}

==Geographic rollout==

Amazon confirmed the change for Prime members in India, where the announcement coincided with the launch of Amazon Music Unlimited in that market.<ref name="indiatv" /> Android Headlines reported that the change was not happening in all regions and that subscribers in the United States, and presumably several other regions, still had no ads in Prime Music; it noted a Reddit post from a user who said they were in Australia and had received the same notice, putting the email in at least two markets.<ref name="androidheadlines" /> What's Trending reported the email arriving from multiple regions including India & Australia.<ref name="whatstrending" /> As of the June 2026 reporting, Android Headlines framed a wider rollout as possible rather than confirmed.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Legal and regulatory context==

In July 2025, U.S. District Judge Barbara J. Rothstein dismissed a class action that argued Amazon's 2024 introduction of ads on Prime Video, with a $2.99-per-month opt-out on top of the $139 annual Prime fee, amounted to a price increase.<ref name="deadline" /> Rothstein wrote that the addition of ads ''"constituted a change in subscription benefits as opposed to a price increase,"'' and that all subscribers agree to a contract when they join Prime, giving Amazon the ability to alter the services provided.<ref name="deadline" />

A separate ruling reached a different conclusion abroad. MediaNama reported that the Munich I Regional Court in Germany found Amazon's rollout of ads on Prime Video without user consent unlawful and a violation of fair-competition law, calling the notification email misleading because customers had expected an ad-free service and Amazon had made the ad-free experience the ''"subject matter of the contract."''<ref name="medianama" />

Amazon's Prime program has also drawn United States regulatory action over how the subscription is sold. On September 25, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Amazon, which it had sued in 2023, agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement, made up of a $1 billion civil penalty & $1.5 billion in consumer redress, over what the FTC called dark patterns in Prime enrollment & cancellation that violated the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act.<ref name="khlaw" /><ref name="dglaw" /> The Davis+Gilbert analysis noted that executives Neil Lindsay & Jamil Ghani were included in the settlement while claims against Russell Grandinetti were dismissed.<ref name="dglaw" /> That settlement concerned enrollment practices, not the music benefit.

==Consumer and media response==
Many Amazon Prime Subscribers on [[Reddit]] have voiced their displeasure with these new changes. One user commented on the original post and said the following:<blockquote>"It seems like every service is doing this lately. "We know you already pay for premium, but now there's ads and limitations, so you have to pay for PREMIUM PREMIUM to get rid of them". Then, in a few years, they'll have PREMIUM PREMIUM PREMIUM."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Amazon just informed me that my paid music subscription will soon include ads and lose downloads. |url=http://reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210652/https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/?solution=eb9d1abda4cbba64eb9d1abda4cbba64&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec7e6536fcd1b605f5f212ded1202aa75a&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref></blockquote>Additionally, the original poster said the following:<blockquote>"Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but paying for a subscription and then being told I need another subscription to keep the features I already had is getting a little ridiculous."<ref name=":1" />.</blockquote>

Android Headlines characterized the change as a downgrade of a paid perk, writing that Amazon ''"further erodes Prime perks"'' and that Prime Music had been ''"perhaps one of the last bastions of ad-free streaming music."''<ref name="androidheadlines" /> The same report traced Amazon's Prime Video precedent: ads added in 2024, then a $3 monthly add-on to remove them, since raised to $5 extra.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

What's Trending described the approach as a pattern, writing that it was the same playbook Amazon ran with Prime Video, bundling a service, letting people get used to it, then degrading it until paying more felt like the only option.<ref name="whatstrending" />

MediaNama reported that internet users described the forced rollout of ads as a deliberate move to degrade a paid feature, with some saying they would cancel their subscriptions if Amazon did not back away.<ref name="medianama" />

Overall, these comments highlight the larger general issue of companies removing previously available features for customers and forcing them to pay more money for continued use of their platform as it worked originally and the general trends of [[Enshittification]] among subscription services.

==See also==

*[[Amazon to charge non-Prime consumers to use Alexa]]
*[[Enshittification]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="medianama">{{Cite web |author=Singh |first=Amit |date=2026-06-03 |title=Amazon draws flak for bringing ads to Prime Music: What's changing? |url=https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603192953/https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=MediaNama}}</ref>
<ref name="businessstandard">{{Cite web |author=Kumari |first=Sweta |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music adds ads for Prime members, ad-free costs extra: Details here |url=https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603193203/https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Business Standard}}</ref>
<ref name="indiatv">{{Cite web |author=Saumya Nigam |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launched: Prime members to see Ads from July 2, Ad-free plan starts at Rs 99 |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603052018/https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=India TV News}}</ref>
<ref name="inc42">{{Cite web |author=Choudhary |first=Lokesh |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Puts Ads On Prime Music, Pulls Offline Listening |url=https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603193531/https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Inc42}}</ref>
<ref name="androidheadlines">{{Cite web |author=Diaz |first=Justin |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon further erodes Prime perks by sliding ads into Prime Music |url=https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603061555/https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Android Headlines}}</ref>
<ref name="whatstrending">{{Cite web |author=Oleaga |first=Keisha |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Prime Music Is Getting Ads and Killing Downloads Next Month |url=https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603194436/https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=What's Trending}}</ref>
<ref name="variety">{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2022-11-01 |title=Amazon Music for Prime Members Expands to 100 Million Songs, but Shifts From On-Demand to Shuffle-Mode Play |url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018045029/https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |archive-date=2025-10-18 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Variety}}</ref>
<ref name="aboutamazon">{{Cite web |author=Amazon Staff |date=2022 |title=Amazon Music expands its Prime benefit to offer a full catalog of music and new experiences for podcast lovers |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123115924/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |archive-date=2026-01-23 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Amazon}}</ref>
<ref name="deadline">{{Cite web |author=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2025-07-17 |title=Class-Action Suit Against Amazon For Putting Ads On Prime Video Dismissed By Federal Judge |url=https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726010510/https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |archive-date=2025-07-26 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Deadline}}</ref>
<ref name="khlaw">{{Cite web |last=Millar |first=Sheila |last2=Marshall |first2=Tracy |date=2025 |title=Amazon to Pay Record $2.5 Billion to Settle FTC Claims of Deceptive Prime Membership Signup and Cancellation Practices |url=https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251227002154/https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |archive-date=2025-12-27 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Keller and Heckman LLP}}</ref>
<ref name="dglaw">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-01 |title=An Amazonian-Sized Settlement: FTC Secures $2.5 Billion Against Amazon for Use of "Dark Patterns" In Prime Enrollment Scheme |url=https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260520104357/https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |archive-date=2026-05-20 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Davis+Gilbert LLP}}</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Amazon]]
[[Category:Subscription Services]]
[[Category:Service Degradation]]
[[Category:2026 incidents]]

Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026)

2026-06-03T19:59:55Z

Left4Code: /* Consumer and media response */

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Subscription,Terms of Service,Service Degradation
|Description=On July 2, 2026 Amazon will add ads & drop offline downloads from the Prime music benefit, steering members to paid Music Unlimited
}}

On June 2, 2026, [[Amazon]] notified Prime members by email that, effective July 2, 2026, the music benefit bundled with a Prime subscription will begin carrying advertisements and will stop supporting offline downloads, with HD, Ultra HD, and Spatial Audio reserved for the separately paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="medianama" /><ref name="businessstandard" /> Members keep on-demand access to the catalog of more than 100 million songs & 15 million podcast episodes, but to restore ad-free, offline, high-fidelity listening they must subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited at a cost on top of what they already pay for Prime.<ref name="inc42" /><ref name="indiatv" /> The change rolled out in India, with the same email reported by a user in Australia.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Background==

Amazon bundled a music service with Prime membership for years as one of several perks alongside Prime Video and shopping benefits.<ref name="medianama" /> In November 2022, Amazon expanded the bundled catalog from 2 million songs to its full library of more than 100 million tracks, but limited Prime-tier playback to shuffle mode based on artist, album, or playlist. Prime members kept on-demand play & downloads for a set of curated All-Access playlists, while full on-demand selection across the catalog & downloads of any track required the paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="variety" /><ref name="aboutamazon" /> That 2022 expansion kept the Prime music benefit ad-free.<ref name="aboutamazon" /> The 2026 change is separate: it introduces ads, removes offline downloads, and reserves high-fidelity audio for Amazon Music Unlimited.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" />

==The 2026 changes==
[[File:Amazon Prime Music Email Picture.jpg|alt=Amazon Prime Music Email|thumb|Amazon Prime Music Email]]
The email Amazon sent to existing Prime users on June 2, 2026 read:

<blockquote>''Starting July 2, 2026, your Amazon Prime Music benefit will include ads and no longer support downloads. You'll still have access to over 100 million songs and 15 million+ podcast episodes, on demand. To continue enjoying unlimited music, ad-free, and listen offline, now with HD & Spatial Audio, try Amazon Music Unlimited at a special offer for Prime members.''</blockquote><ref name="medianama" />

Inc42 reported that the Prime Music benefit will continue to offer on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and over 15 million podcast episodes, but will no longer be ad-free and will not allow downloaded content to be played offline once the changes take effect.<ref name="inc42" /> Downloaded files are not deleted. Amazon told subscribers their downloaded music & podcast episodes will remain in their library, and that starting July 2 they will only be able to stream them while online.<ref name="inc42" /> India TV reported that Prime members keep access to the song and podcast library but lose HD & Ultra HD streaming, Dolby Atmos & Spatial Audio, and offline downloads, and begin hearing ads on July 2.<ref name="indiatv" />

==Tier restructuring and pricing==

Alongside the change, Amazon split its music service into three tiers. Amazon Music Unlimited is the paid plan, with on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and podcasts, ad-free playback, offline downloads, & HD, Ultra HD & Spatial Audio including Dolby Atmos. Amazon Music for Prime is the ad-supported middle tier included with membership, with full on-demand catalog access but no offline downloads. Amazon Music Free is a forthcoming ad-supported tier with limited features.<ref name="businessstandard" /> What's Trending described the effect on existing subscribers, writing that ''"Prime members now land in the middle tier"'' with ads, no downloads, and no HD audio.<ref name="whatstrending" />

In India, Amazon Music Unlimited costs Rs 99 per month for Prime members, who can try it free for six months before the subscription renews at that rate; non-Prime users get a three-month free trial.<ref name="businessstandard" /> Reporting on the non-Prime monthly price differed: Business Standard listed Rs 119 per month, while India TV listed Rs 199 per month.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" /> India TV characterized the structure as a push toward the paid plan, writing that ''"Amazon is clearly steering Prime users toward the paid option."''<ref name="indiatv" />

The following table from AboutAmazon lists the tier breakdown of the new subscription tiers and their pricing for Amazon Music users in India:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launches in India: Price, plans and how to get six months free |url=https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210853/https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=aboutamazon.in |publisher=Amazon Staff}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!TIER
!WHAT YOU GET
!PRICE
|-
|Amazon Music Unlimited
|100M+ songs on-demand, ad-free; HD, Ultra HD and Spatial Audio (incl. Dolby Atmos); offline downloads; top podcasts
|₹99/mo (Prime members); ₹119/mo (non-Prime)
|-
|Amazon Music for Prime members
|Full on-demand access to 100M+ songs and podcasts, with limited ads, without offline downloads—included with Prime at no extra cost
|Included with Prime
|-
|Amazon Music Free
| Full catalogue, ad-supported listening—coming soon
|Free
|}

==Geographic rollout==

Amazon confirmed the change for Prime members in India, where the announcement coincided with the launch of Amazon Music Unlimited in that market.<ref name="indiatv" /> Android Headlines reported that the change was not happening in all regions and that subscribers in the United States, and presumably several other regions, still had no ads in Prime Music; it noted a Reddit post from a user who said they were in Australia and had received the same notice, putting the email in at least two markets.<ref name="androidheadlines" /> What's Trending reported the email arriving from multiple regions including India & Australia.<ref name="whatstrending" /> As of the June 2026 reporting, Android Headlines framed a wider rollout as possible rather than confirmed.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Legal and regulatory context==

In July 2025, U.S. District Judge Barbara J. Rothstein dismissed a class action that argued Amazon's 2024 introduction of ads on Prime Video, with a $2.99-per-month opt-out on top of the $139 annual Prime fee, amounted to a price increase.<ref name="deadline" /> Rothstein wrote that the addition of ads ''"constituted a change in subscription benefits as opposed to a price increase,"'' and that all subscribers agree to a contract when they join Prime, giving Amazon the ability to alter the services provided.<ref name="deadline" />

A separate ruling reached a different conclusion abroad. MediaNama reported that the Munich I Regional Court in Germany found Amazon's rollout of ads on Prime Video without user consent unlawful and a violation of fair-competition law, calling the notification email misleading because customers had expected an ad-free service and Amazon had made the ad-free experience the ''"subject matter of the contract."''<ref name="medianama" />

Amazon's Prime program has also drawn United States regulatory action over how the subscription is sold. On September 25, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Amazon, which it had sued in 2023, agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement, made up of a $1 billion civil penalty & $1.5 billion in consumer redress, over what the FTC called dark patterns in Prime enrollment & cancellation that violated the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act.<ref name="khlaw" /><ref name="dglaw" /> The Davis+Gilbert analysis noted that executives Neil Lindsay & Jamil Ghani were included in the settlement while claims against Russell Grandinetti were dismissed.<ref name="dglaw" /> That settlement concerned enrollment practices, not the music benefit.

==Consumer and media response==
Many users on [[Reddit]] have voiced their displeasure with these new changes. One Reddit user commenting on the original post said the following:<blockquote>"It seems like every service is doing this lately. "We know you already pay for premium, but now there's ads and limitations, so you have to pay for PREMIUM PREMIUM to get rid of them". Then, in a few years, they'll have PREMIUM PREMIUM PREMIUM."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Amazon just informed me that my paid music subscription will soon include ads and lose downloads. |url=http://reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210652/https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/?solution=eb9d1abda4cbba64eb9d1abda4cbba64&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec7e6536fcd1b605f5f212ded1202aa75a&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref></blockquote>Additionally, the original poster said the following:<blockquote>"Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but paying for a subscription and then being told I need another subscription to keep the features I already had is getting a little ridiculous."<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>These comments highlight the larger general issue of companies removing previously available features for customers and forcing them to pay more money for continued use of their platform as it worked originally and the general trends of [[Enshittification]] among subscription services.

Android Headlines characterized the change as a downgrade of a paid perk, writing that Amazon ''"further erodes Prime perks"'' and that Prime Music had been ''"perhaps one of the last bastions of ad-free streaming music."''<ref name="androidheadlines" /> The same report traced Amazon's Prime Video precedent: ads added in 2024, then a $3 monthly add-on to remove them, since raised to $5 extra.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

What's Trending described the approach as a pattern, writing that it was the same playbook Amazon ran with Prime Video, bundling a service, letting people get used to it, then degrading it until paying more felt like the only option.<ref name="whatstrending" />

MediaNama reported that internet users described the forced rollout of ads as a deliberate move to degrade a paid feature, with some saying they would cancel their subscriptions if Amazon did not back away.<ref name="medianama" />

==See also==

*[[Amazon to charge non-Prime consumers to use Alexa]]
*[[Enshittification]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="medianama">{{Cite web |author=Singh |first=Amit |date=2026-06-03 |title=Amazon draws flak for bringing ads to Prime Music: What's changing? |url=https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603192953/https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=MediaNama}}</ref>
<ref name="businessstandard">{{Cite web |author=Kumari |first=Sweta |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music adds ads for Prime members, ad-free costs extra: Details here |url=https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603193203/https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Business Standard}}</ref>
<ref name="indiatv">{{Cite web |author=Saumya Nigam |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launched: Prime members to see Ads from July 2, Ad-free plan starts at Rs 99 |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603052018/https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=India TV News}}</ref>
<ref name="inc42">{{Cite web |author=Choudhary |first=Lokesh |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Puts Ads On Prime Music, Pulls Offline Listening |url=https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603193531/https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Inc42}}</ref>
<ref name="androidheadlines">{{Cite web |author=Diaz |first=Justin |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon further erodes Prime perks by sliding ads into Prime Music |url=https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603061555/https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Android Headlines}}</ref>
<ref name="whatstrending">{{Cite web |author=Oleaga |first=Keisha |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Prime Music Is Getting Ads and Killing Downloads Next Month |url=https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603194436/https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=What's Trending}}</ref>
<ref name="variety">{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2022-11-01 |title=Amazon Music for Prime Members Expands to 100 Million Songs, but Shifts From On-Demand to Shuffle-Mode Play |url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018045029/https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |archive-date=2025-10-18 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Variety}}</ref>
<ref name="aboutamazon">{{Cite web |author=Amazon Staff |date=2022 |title=Amazon Music expands its Prime benefit to offer a full catalog of music and new experiences for podcast lovers |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123115924/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |archive-date=2026-01-23 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Amazon}}</ref>
<ref name="deadline">{{Cite web |author=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2025-07-17 |title=Class-Action Suit Against Amazon For Putting Ads On Prime Video Dismissed By Federal Judge |url=https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726010510/https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |archive-date=2025-07-26 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Deadline}}</ref>
<ref name="khlaw">{{Cite web |last=Millar |first=Sheila |last2=Marshall |first2=Tracy |date=2025 |title=Amazon to Pay Record $2.5 Billion to Settle FTC Claims of Deceptive Prime Membership Signup and Cancellation Practices |url=https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251227002154/https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |archive-date=2025-12-27 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Keller and Heckman LLP}}</ref>
<ref name="dglaw">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-01 |title=An Amazonian-Sized Settlement: FTC Secures $2.5 Billion Against Amazon for Use of "Dark Patterns" In Prime Enrollment Scheme |url=https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260520104357/https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |archive-date=2026-05-20 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Davis+Gilbert LLP}}</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Amazon]]
[[Category:Subscription Services]]
[[Category:Service Degradation]]
[[Category:2026 incidents]]

Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026)

2026-06-03T19:54:19Z

Left4Code: Added table from other article.

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Subscription,Terms of Service,Service Degradation
|Description=On July 2, 2026 Amazon will add ads & drop offline downloads from the Prime music benefit, steering members to paid Music Unlimited
}}

On June 2, 2026, [[Amazon]] notified Prime members by email that, effective July 2, 2026, the music benefit bundled with a Prime subscription will begin carrying advertisements and will stop supporting offline downloads, with HD, Ultra HD, and Spatial Audio reserved for the separately paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="medianama" /><ref name="businessstandard" /> Members keep on-demand access to the catalog of more than 100 million songs & 15 million podcast episodes, but to restore ad-free, offline, high-fidelity listening they must subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited at a cost on top of what they already pay for Prime.<ref name="inc42" /><ref name="indiatv" /> The change rolled out in India, with the same email reported by a user in Australia.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Background==

Amazon bundled a music service with Prime membership for years as one of several perks alongside Prime Video and shopping benefits.<ref name="medianama" /> In November 2022, Amazon expanded the bundled catalog from 2 million songs to its full library of more than 100 million tracks, but limited Prime-tier playback to shuffle mode based on artist, album, or playlist. Prime members kept on-demand play & downloads for a set of curated All-Access playlists, while full on-demand selection across the catalog & downloads of any track required the paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="variety" /><ref name="aboutamazon" /> That 2022 expansion kept the Prime music benefit ad-free.<ref name="aboutamazon" /> The 2026 change is separate: it introduces ads, removes offline downloads, and reserves high-fidelity audio for Amazon Music Unlimited.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" />

==The 2026 changes==
[[File:Amazon Prime Music Email Picture.jpg|alt=Amazon Prime Music Email|thumb|Amazon Prime Music Email]]
The email Amazon sent to existing Prime users on June 2, 2026 read:

<blockquote>''Starting July 2, 2026, your Amazon Prime Music benefit will include ads and no longer support downloads. You'll still have access to over 100 million songs and 15 million+ podcast episodes, on demand. To continue enjoying unlimited music, ad-free, and listen offline, now with HD & Spatial Audio, try Amazon Music Unlimited at a special offer for Prime members.''</blockquote><ref name="medianama" />

Inc42 reported that the Prime Music benefit will continue to offer on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and over 15 million podcast episodes, but will no longer be ad-free and will not allow downloaded content to be played offline once the changes take effect.<ref name="inc42" /> Downloaded files are not deleted. Amazon told subscribers their downloaded music & podcast episodes will remain in their library, and that starting July 2 they will only be able to stream them while online.<ref name="inc42" /> India TV reported that Prime members keep access to the song and podcast library but lose HD & Ultra HD streaming, Dolby Atmos & Spatial Audio, and offline downloads, and begin hearing ads on July 2.<ref name="indiatv" />

==Tier restructuring and pricing==

Alongside the change, Amazon split its music service into three tiers. Amazon Music Unlimited is the paid plan, with on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and podcasts, ad-free playback, offline downloads, & HD, Ultra HD & Spatial Audio including Dolby Atmos. Amazon Music for Prime is the ad-supported middle tier included with membership, with full on-demand catalog access but no offline downloads. Amazon Music Free is a forthcoming ad-supported tier with limited features.<ref name="businessstandard" /> What's Trending described the effect on existing subscribers, writing that ''"Prime members now land in the middle tier"'' with ads, no downloads, and no HD audio.<ref name="whatstrending" />

In India, Amazon Music Unlimited costs Rs 99 per month for Prime members, who can try it free for six months before the subscription renews at that rate; non-Prime users get a three-month free trial.<ref name="businessstandard" /> Reporting on the non-Prime monthly price differed: Business Standard listed Rs 119 per month, while India TV listed Rs 199 per month.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" /> India TV characterized the structure as a push toward the paid plan, writing that ''"Amazon is clearly steering Prime users toward the paid option."''<ref name="indiatv" />

The following table from AboutAmazon lists the tier breakdown of the new subscription tiers and their pricing for Amazon Music users in India:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launches in India: Price, plans and how to get six months free |url=https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210853/https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=aboutamazon.in |publisher=Amazon Staff}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!TIER
!WHAT YOU GET
!PRICE
|-
|Amazon Music Unlimited
|100M+ songs on-demand, ad-free; HD, Ultra HD and Spatial Audio (incl. Dolby Atmos); offline downloads; top podcasts
|₹99/mo (Prime members); ₹119/mo (non-Prime)
|-
|Amazon Music for Prime members
|Full on-demand access to 100M+ songs and podcasts, with limited ads, without offline downloads—included with Prime at no extra cost
|Included with Prime
|-
|Amazon Music Free
| Full catalogue, ad-supported listening—coming soon
|Free
|}

==Geographic rollout==

Amazon confirmed the change for Prime members in India, where the announcement coincided with the launch of Amazon Music Unlimited in that market.<ref name="indiatv" /> Android Headlines reported that the change was not happening in all regions and that subscribers in the United States, and presumably several other regions, still had no ads in Prime Music; it noted a Reddit post from a user who said they were in Australia and had received the same notice, putting the email in at least two markets.<ref name="androidheadlines" /> What's Trending reported the email arriving from multiple regions including India & Australia.<ref name="whatstrending" /> As of the June 2026 reporting, Android Headlines framed a wider rollout as possible rather than confirmed.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Legal and regulatory context==

In July 2025, U.S. District Judge Barbara J. Rothstein dismissed a class action that argued Amazon's 2024 introduction of ads on Prime Video, with a $2.99-per-month opt-out on top of the $139 annual Prime fee, amounted to a price increase.<ref name="deadline" /> Rothstein wrote that the addition of ads ''"constituted a change in subscription benefits as opposed to a price increase,"'' and that all subscribers agree to a contract when they join Prime, giving Amazon the ability to alter the services provided.<ref name="deadline" />

A separate ruling reached a different conclusion abroad. MediaNama reported that the Munich I Regional Court in Germany found Amazon's rollout of ads on Prime Video without user consent unlawful and a violation of fair-competition law, calling the notification email misleading because customers had expected an ad-free service and Amazon had made the ad-free experience the ''"subject matter of the contract."''<ref name="medianama" />

Amazon's Prime program has also drawn United States regulatory action over how the subscription is sold. On September 25, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Amazon, which it had sued in 2023, agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement, made up of a $1 billion civil penalty & $1.5 billion in consumer redress, over what the FTC called dark patterns in Prime enrollment & cancellation that violated the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act.<ref name="khlaw" /><ref name="dglaw" /> The Davis+Gilbert analysis noted that executives Neil Lindsay & Jamil Ghani were included in the settlement while claims against Russell Grandinetti were dismissed.<ref name="dglaw" /> That settlement concerned enrollment practices, not the music benefit.

==Consumer and media response==

Android Headlines characterized the change as a downgrade of a paid perk, writing that Amazon ''"further erodes Prime perks"'' and that Prime Music had been ''"perhaps one of the last bastions of ad-free streaming music."''<ref name="androidheadlines" /> The same report traced Amazon's Prime Video precedent: ads added in 2024, then a $3 monthly add-on to remove them, since raised to $5 extra.<ref name="androidheadlines" /> What's Trending described the approach as a pattern, writing that it was the same playbook Amazon ran with Prime Video, bundling a service, letting people get used to it, then degrading it until paying more felt like the only option.<ref name="whatstrending" />

MediaNama reported that internet users described the forced rollout of ads as a deliberate move to degrade a paid feature, with some saying they would cancel their subscriptions if Amazon did not back away.<ref name="medianama" />

==See also==

*[[Amazon to charge non-Prime consumers to use Alexa]]
*[[Enshittification]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="medianama">{{Cite web |author=Singh |first=Amit |date=2026-06-03 |title=Amazon draws flak for bringing ads to Prime Music: What's changing? |url=https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603192953/https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=MediaNama}}</ref>
<ref name="businessstandard">{{Cite web |author=Kumari |first=Sweta |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music adds ads for Prime members, ad-free costs extra: Details here |url=https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603193203/https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Business Standard}}</ref>
<ref name="indiatv">{{Cite web |author=Saumya Nigam |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launched: Prime members to see Ads from July 2, Ad-free plan starts at Rs 99 |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603052018/https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=India TV News}}</ref>
<ref name="inc42">{{Cite web |author=Choudhary |first=Lokesh |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Puts Ads On Prime Music, Pulls Offline Listening |url=https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603193531/https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Inc42}}</ref>
<ref name="androidheadlines">{{Cite web |author=Diaz |first=Justin |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon further erodes Prime perks by sliding ads into Prime Music |url=https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603061555/https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Android Headlines}}</ref>
<ref name="whatstrending">{{Cite web |author=Oleaga |first=Keisha |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Prime Music Is Getting Ads and Killing Downloads Next Month |url=https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603194436/https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=What's Trending}}</ref>
<ref name="variety">{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2022-11-01 |title=Amazon Music for Prime Members Expands to 100 Million Songs, but Shifts From On-Demand to Shuffle-Mode Play |url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018045029/https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |archive-date=2025-10-18 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Variety}}</ref>
<ref name="aboutamazon">{{Cite web |author=Amazon Staff |date=2022 |title=Amazon Music expands its Prime benefit to offer a full catalog of music and new experiences for podcast lovers |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123115924/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |archive-date=2026-01-23 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Amazon}}</ref>
<ref name="deadline">{{Cite web |author=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2025-07-17 |title=Class-Action Suit Against Amazon For Putting Ads On Prime Video Dismissed By Federal Judge |url=https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726010510/https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |archive-date=2025-07-26 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Deadline}}</ref>
<ref name="khlaw">{{Cite web |last=Millar |first=Sheila |last2=Marshall |first2=Tracy |date=2025 |title=Amazon to Pay Record $2.5 Billion to Settle FTC Claims of Deceptive Prime Membership Signup and Cancellation Practices |url=https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251227002154/https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |archive-date=2025-12-27 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Keller and Heckman LLP}}</ref>
<ref name="dglaw">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-01 |title=An Amazonian-Sized Settlement: FTC Secures $2.5 Billion Against Amazon for Use of "Dark Patterns" In Prime Enrollment Scheme |url=https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260520104357/https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |archive-date=2026-05-20 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Davis+Gilbert LLP}}</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Amazon]]
[[Category:Subscription Services]]
[[Category:Service Degradation]]
[[Category:2026 incidents]]

Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026)

2026-06-03T19:50:09Z

Left4Code: /* References */ added archives

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Subscription,Terms of Service,Service Degradation
|Description=On July 2, 2026 Amazon will add ads & drop offline downloads from the Prime music benefit, steering members to paid Music Unlimited
}}

On June 2, 2026, [[Amazon]] notified Prime members by email that, effective July 2, 2026, the music benefit bundled with a Prime subscription will begin carrying advertisements and will stop supporting offline downloads, with HD, Ultra HD, and Spatial Audio reserved for the separately paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="medianama" /><ref name="businessstandard" /> Members keep on-demand access to the catalog of more than 100 million songs & 15 million podcast episodes, but to restore ad-free, offline, high-fidelity listening they must subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited at a cost on top of what they already pay for Prime.<ref name="inc42" /><ref name="indiatv" /> The change rolled out in India, with the same email reported by a user in Australia.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Background==

Amazon bundled a music service with Prime membership for years as one of several perks alongside Prime Video and shopping benefits.<ref name="medianama" /> In November 2022, Amazon expanded the bundled catalog from 2 million songs to its full library of more than 100 million tracks, but limited Prime-tier playback to shuffle mode based on artist, album, or playlist. Prime members kept on-demand play & downloads for a set of curated All-Access playlists, while full on-demand selection across the catalog & downloads of any track required the paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="variety" /><ref name="aboutamazon" /> That 2022 expansion kept the Prime music benefit ad-free.<ref name="aboutamazon" /> The 2026 change is separate: it introduces ads, removes offline downloads, and reserves high-fidelity audio for Amazon Music Unlimited.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" />

==The 2026 changes==
[[File:Amazon Prime Music Email Picture.jpg|alt=Amazon Prime Music Email|thumb|Amazon Prime Music Email]]
The email Amazon sent to existing Prime users on June 2, 2026 read:

<blockquote>''Starting July 2, 2026, your Amazon Prime Music benefit will include ads and no longer support downloads. You'll still have access to over 100 million songs and 15 million+ podcast episodes, on demand. To continue enjoying unlimited music, ad-free, and listen offline, now with HD & Spatial Audio, try Amazon Music Unlimited at a special offer for Prime members.''</blockquote><ref name="medianama" />

Inc42 reported that the Prime Music benefit will continue to offer on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and over 15 million podcast episodes, but will no longer be ad-free and will not allow downloaded content to be played offline once the changes take effect.<ref name="inc42" /> Downloaded files are not deleted. Amazon told subscribers their downloaded music & podcast episodes will remain in their library, and that starting July 2 they will only be able to stream them while online.<ref name="inc42" /> India TV reported that Prime members keep access to the song and podcast library but lose HD & Ultra HD streaming, Dolby Atmos & Spatial Audio, and offline downloads, and begin hearing ads on July 2.<ref name="indiatv" />

==Tier restructuring and pricing==

Alongside the change, Amazon split its music service into three tiers. Amazon Music Unlimited is the paid plan, with on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and podcasts, ad-free playback, offline downloads, & HD, Ultra HD & Spatial Audio including Dolby Atmos. Amazon Music for Prime is the ad-supported middle tier included with membership, with full on-demand catalog access but no offline downloads. Amazon Music Free is a forthcoming ad-supported tier with limited features.<ref name="businessstandard" /> What's Trending described the effect on existing subscribers, writing that ''"Prime members now land in the middle tier"'' with ads, no downloads, and no HD audio.<ref name="whatstrending" />

In India, Amazon Music Unlimited costs Rs 99 per month for Prime members, who can try it free for six months before the subscription renews at that rate; non-Prime users get a three-month free trial.<ref name="businessstandard" /> Reporting on the non-Prime monthly price differed: Business Standard listed Rs 119 per month, while India TV listed Rs 199 per month.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" /> India TV characterized the structure as a push toward the paid plan, writing that ''"Amazon is clearly steering Prime users toward the paid option."''<ref name="indiatv" />

==Geographic rollout==

Amazon confirmed the change for Prime members in India, where the announcement coincided with the launch of Amazon Music Unlimited in that market.<ref name="indiatv" /> Android Headlines reported that the change was not happening in all regions and that subscribers in the United States, and presumably several other regions, still had no ads in Prime Music; it noted a Reddit post from a user who said they were in Australia and had received the same notice, putting the email in at least two markets.<ref name="androidheadlines" /> What's Trending reported the email arriving from multiple regions including India & Australia.<ref name="whatstrending" /> As of the June 2026 reporting, Android Headlines framed a wider rollout as possible rather than confirmed.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Legal and regulatory context==

In July 2025, U.S. District Judge Barbara J. Rothstein dismissed a class action that argued Amazon's 2024 introduction of ads on Prime Video, with a $2.99-per-month opt-out on top of the $139 annual Prime fee, amounted to a price increase.<ref name="deadline" /> Rothstein wrote that the addition of ads ''"constituted a change in subscription benefits as opposed to a price increase,"'' and that all subscribers agree to a contract when they join Prime, giving Amazon the ability to alter the services provided.<ref name="deadline" />

A separate ruling reached a different conclusion abroad. MediaNama reported that the Munich I Regional Court in Germany found Amazon's rollout of ads on Prime Video without user consent unlawful and a violation of fair-competition law, calling the notification email misleading because customers had expected an ad-free service and Amazon had made the ad-free experience the ''"subject matter of the contract."''<ref name="medianama" />

Amazon's Prime program has also drawn United States regulatory action over how the subscription is sold. On September 25, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Amazon, which it had sued in 2023, agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement, made up of a $1 billion civil penalty & $1.5 billion in consumer redress, over what the FTC called dark patterns in Prime enrollment & cancellation that violated the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act.<ref name="khlaw" /><ref name="dglaw" /> The Davis+Gilbert analysis noted that executives Neil Lindsay & Jamil Ghani were included in the settlement while claims against Russell Grandinetti were dismissed.<ref name="dglaw" /> That settlement concerned enrollment practices, not the music benefit.

==Consumer and media response==

Android Headlines characterized the change as a downgrade of a paid perk, writing that Amazon ''"further erodes Prime perks"'' and that Prime Music had been ''"perhaps one of the last bastions of ad-free streaming music."''<ref name="androidheadlines" /> The same report traced Amazon's Prime Video precedent: ads added in 2024, then a $3 monthly add-on to remove them, since raised to $5 extra.<ref name="androidheadlines" /> What's Trending described the approach as a pattern, writing that it was the same playbook Amazon ran with Prime Video, bundling a service, letting people get used to it, then degrading it until paying more felt like the only option.<ref name="whatstrending" />

MediaNama reported that internet users described the forced rollout of ads as a deliberate move to degrade a paid feature, with some saying they would cancel their subscriptions if Amazon did not back away.<ref name="medianama" />

==See also==

*[[Amazon to charge non-Prime consumers to use Alexa]]
*[[Enshittification]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="medianama">{{Cite web |author=Singh |first=Amit |date=2026-06-03 |title=Amazon draws flak for bringing ads to Prime Music: What's changing? |url=https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603192953/https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=MediaNama}}</ref>
<ref name="businessstandard">{{Cite web |author=Kumari |first=Sweta |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music adds ads for Prime members, ad-free costs extra: Details here |url=https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603193203/https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Business Standard}}</ref>
<ref name="indiatv">{{Cite web |author=Saumya Nigam |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launched: Prime members to see Ads from July 2, Ad-free plan starts at Rs 99 |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603052018/https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=India TV News}}</ref>
<ref name="inc42">{{Cite web |author=Choudhary |first=Lokesh |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Puts Ads On Prime Music, Pulls Offline Listening |url=https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603193531/https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Inc42}}</ref>
<ref name="androidheadlines">{{Cite web |author=Diaz |first=Justin |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon further erodes Prime perks by sliding ads into Prime Music |url=https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603061555/https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Android Headlines}}</ref>
<ref name="whatstrending">{{Cite web |author=Oleaga |first=Keisha |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Prime Music Is Getting Ads and Killing Downloads Next Month |url=https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603194436/https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=What's Trending}}</ref>
<ref name="variety">{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2022-11-01 |title=Amazon Music for Prime Members Expands to 100 Million Songs, but Shifts From On-Demand to Shuffle-Mode Play |url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018045029/https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |archive-date=2025-10-18 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Variety}}</ref>
<ref name="aboutamazon">{{Cite web |author=Amazon Staff |date=2022 |title=Amazon Music expands its Prime benefit to offer a full catalog of music and new experiences for podcast lovers |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123115924/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |archive-date=2026-01-23 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Amazon}}</ref>
<ref name="deadline">{{Cite web |author=Hayes |first=Dade |date=2025-07-17 |title=Class-Action Suit Against Amazon For Putting Ads On Prime Video Dismissed By Federal Judge |url=https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726010510/https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |archive-date=2025-07-26 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Deadline}}</ref>
<ref name="khlaw">{{Cite web |last=Millar |first=Sheila |last2=Marshall |first2=Tracy |date=2025 |title=Amazon to Pay Record $2.5 Billion to Settle FTC Claims of Deceptive Prime Membership Signup and Cancellation Practices |url=https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251227002154/https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |archive-date=2025-12-27 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Keller and Heckman LLP}}</ref>
<ref name="dglaw">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-01 |title=An Amazonian-Sized Settlement: FTC Secures $2.5 Billion Against Amazon for Use of "Dark Patterns" In Prime Enrollment Scheme |url=https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260520104357/https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |archive-date=2026-05-20 |access-date=2026-06-03 |publisher=Davis+Gilbert LLP}}</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Amazon]]
[[Category:Subscription Services]]
[[Category:Service Degradation]]
[[Category:2026 incidents]]

Amazon

2026-06-03T17:59:08Z

Left4Code: /* Incidents */ added "(s)" to related articles

{{CompanyCargo
| Founded = 1994
| Industry = Technology
| Logo = Amazon.svg
| ParentCompany =
| Type = Public
| Website = https://amazon.com/
| Description = Major e-commerce platform which has allowed fraudulent listings, removed functionality and purchased products from Kindle devices, and more.
}}

'''{{Wplink|Amazon (company)|Amazon.com, Inc.}}''' is a global leader in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos. Originally launched as an online bookstore, Amazon quickly expanded into a marketplace offering a wide range of products, including - but not limited to - electronics, clothing, household goods, and groceries. Today, it is one of the largest companies in the world, with a dominant presence in retail, technology, and logistics.

In addition to its e-commerce platform, Amazon is a major player in cloud computing through Amazon Web Services (AWS), which provides cloud infrastructure and services to businesses globally. The company also offers a variety of digital services, such as Amazon Prime - which provides streaming video and music - and Alexa; its voice-activated virtual assistant. Amazon has also developed consumer products like the Kindle e-reader, Fire tablets, and Echo smart speakers.

Amazon has faced significant scrutiny and criticism, particularly concerning its treatment of workers, marketplace practices, data privacy issues, and its impact on small businesses. It has been involved in various regulatory and legal challenges related to anti-competitive behavior, safety, and consumer protection, with calls for increased oversight on its business operations.

==Consumer impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}
====Business model====
Amazon gets a majority of its revenue from seller fees and Amazon Prime memberships. In addition, Amazon has a "subscribe and save" option for some products. With this, the page to manage these subscriptions is obfuscated for the user, intentional or not.

<gallery>
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 1.jpg|No "subscribe and save" option available.
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 2.jpg|The option appears in the "buy again" section.
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 3.jpg
</gallery>

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this company. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:Amazon|Amazon category]].
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background info
!Aftermath
!Related article(s)
!Related video(s)
|-
|Amazon Prime Music Including Advertisements and Removing Downloads
|2026
|Amazon announced that In select countries such as '''India''', the Amazon Prime Music subscription will now contain Advertisements remove download functionality for users.
|Ongoing.
|

#[[Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026)]]
#[[Amazon Prime Music Including Advertisements and Removing Downloads]]
|N/A
|-
|Amazon ends support for older Kindle devices.
|2026
|In early April 2026, a Reddit user posted about an email announcement from Amazon saying their device would not be able to download new content after May 20th, 2026.
|Starting May 20th, 2026, Amazon will end support for for Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets released before 2013. Although users will still be able to read existing books on their devices, they will no longer be able to download new content to the device.
|https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-amazon-ends-support-older-kindles-2026/
|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtk7ERwlIAk&t=246s
|-
|Amazon increases the price to not see ads
|2026
|"...on April 10, 2026, Prime Video Ad Free will become Prime Video Ultra with enhanced viewing features, and your subscription price will increase by $4.99/month.
... From 04-14-2026, your subscription will automatically renew at $4.99/month, unless you cancel."
|The price to not see ads in Prime Video will be increased. The users are notified by email that the subscription price is increased automatically unless extra action is taken.
|http://aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription
|
|-
|Amazon removing kindle books from old devices.
|2025
|As of May 26, 2025 Kindle for Android app versions released prior to March 2022 (v8.51 or earlier) no longer support Kindle content downloads.
|Old android devices (such as Galaxy Tab 4) that are not compatible with Android OS v.9.0+ are no longer able to download Kindle ebooks. Furthermore, Amazon 'forcibly' removed any ebooks downloaded to the kindle app on those devices the next time they connected to the internet, without warning that this would occur.
|https://www.androidauthority.com/kindle-app-drm-loophole-3554844/
|
|-
|Amazon removing ability to download Kindle books
|2025
|Starting on February 26, 2025, Amazon removed a feature from its website allowing users to download purchased books to a computer and then copy them manually to a Kindle over USB.
|Starting February 26, 2025, the ‘Download & Transfer via USB’ option will no longer be available.
|[[Amazon Kindle removes download feature of purchased books]]
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMoCzeGnIss '''Amazon are changing the way you own your Kindle books - you have 10 days to react''']
<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon revokes the concept of owning books, can edit books you already bought; PIRACY IS THE ANSWER! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XfcoUdWCB9M |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=XfcoUdWCB9M |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon Fresh/Go Stores
(Convenience & Grocery Brick and Mortar Stores)
|2024
|Revealed in 2024, Amazon's convenience stores powered by "AI" is really just human contractors from India watching people shop.
|
|[https://futurism.com/the-byte/amazon-abandons-ai-stores Amazon Abandons Grocery Stores Where You Just Walk Out With Stuff After It Turns Out Its “AI” Was Powered by 1,000 Human Contractors]
|
|-
|Amazon sells lethal litterboxes
|2024
|Amazon sold knockoffs of Whisker brand "Litter-Robot" litterboxes that were designed in a unsafe way that led to the deaths of multiple cats, and posed a danger to young children.
|The responsible knockoff product was delisted, yet many other variants of the same product exist on the site.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=10 Sep 2024 |title=Amazon litterbox fatally harms cat; this is the sad end result of what I've talked about all year :( |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=p6Y19nSPvC4 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=p6Y19nSPvC4 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon adds ads to premium subscription
|2023 – Present
|Amazon added advertisements to previously ad free subscriptions for Prime Video and Echo Show frames.
|Continues to occur.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=26 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon charges extra to avoid ads, says "lol jk" & adds them anyway |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=RSi6g5-xUaY |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=RSi6g5-xUaY |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2 May 2024 |title=Amazon Hikes Profits by Forcing Ads on PAID Prime Subscribers |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=ua_QL9YysHQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=ua_QL9YysHQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=28 Dec 2023 |title=Ads on Amazon Prime Video: Paying More for Less? 😒 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=VLFpU9aqtXc |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=VLFpU9aqtXc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon allows fraudulent listings
|2014 – Present
|
|Fraudulent listings continue to be added, some removed.
|[[Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review! Deep dive on Amazon's support of scams |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=qZCMislL6_I |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=qZCMislL6_I |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=14 Jan 2024 |title=Amazon's Reckless Bet: Hazardous Items Unfazed by Viral Scare |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=7trdHLtsFKM |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=7trdHLtsFKM |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=30 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Fake Electrical Fuses |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=21 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon's Illusion of Quality: How Dangerous Products Get Top Ratings! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=DiKflg8Uko4 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=DiKflg8Uko4 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=16 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Dangerous Electrical Crimps |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=y83BS_mK9GE |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=y83BS_mK9GE |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Aug 2023 |title=Amazon sells EOL devices as new after banning independents for quality control 🤣 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rhb0ID9z4aE |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=Rhb0ID9z4aE |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=24 Feb 2022 |title=Amazon has a credibility problem brewing |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XZNn2mO3dNQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=XZNn2mO3dNQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=24 Apr 2014 |title=Group Vertical eBay/Amazon Macbook screens are garbage; see for yourself! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=C0YNLWdj9sQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=C0YNLWdj9sQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon allows sellers to bribe customers for better ratings
|2016 – Present
|Amazon sellers give customers gift cards in exchange for positive product reviews; Amazon does nothing to stop this.
|Continues to occur.
|[[Amazon's history of seller bribery]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=16 Jul 2024 |title=Amazon sellers bribe customers for good reviews; Amazon does nothing |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=eS698R-bxuc |website=Youtube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=eS698R-bxuc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon has bad marketplace algorithms
|2023 – Present
|
|Algorithms still seem to be nonbeneficial.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=4 Jan 2024 |title=Beyond Algorithms: Why Amazon's Automated Systems Fail Sellers & Customers |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=tAaSXz8CBMc |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=tAaSXz8CBMc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon trashes refurbished market
|2022 – 2023
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Jul 2023 |title=Apple & Amazon pay a fine for trashing the refurbished market |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=h3qgbvq2SWs |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=h3qgbvq2SWs |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=8 Sep 2022 |title=eBay follows amazon's lead, consolidating & destroying the refurbished marketplace |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=qzUXmeaZsIQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=qzUXmeaZsIQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon cancels associate account after recent negative media coverage, with a different reason
|2023
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=22 Jun 2023 |title=Amazon cancelled my account after exposing their wrongful lockout of a paying customer |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kcohq313q00 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=Kcohq313q00 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon wrongfully suspends account of home owner
|2023
|A home owner was locked out of their Amazon account for nearly a week, after a delivery driver from Amazon misheard an automated message from their Eufy doorbell.
|Account reinstated.
|[[Amazon locks home owner out of Amazon account over allegation by Amazon delivery driver|Amazon locks home owner out of amazon account over allegation by amazon delivery driver]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Jun 2023 |title=Man locked out of amazon account over his doorbell gets account back, but no apology |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=SyEgD-5GK9c |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=SyEgD-5GK9c |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=12 Jun 2023 |title=Amazon accuses customer of racism & shuts down their smart home - enough cloud junk |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=NfiIXooD77s |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=NfiIXooD77s |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon engages in anticompetitive behavior
|2021 – 2022
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Sep 2022 |title=Amazon forces sellers to keep prices high on other platforms |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=YBJoSGWdP0Y |website=Youtube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=YBJoSGWdP0Y |archive-date=21 Nov 2025}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=15 Feb 2026 |title=Amazon copying products/rigging search results |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XCLx4mVJ4gk |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=XCLx4mVJ4gk |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon sells fake electrical fuses
|2023 – Present
|Fuses are being sold that do not blow when supplied more power than it is intended to handle, which is a major safety risk.
|These fuses are still being sold to this day.
|[[Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review! Deep dive on Amazons support of scams]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=30 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Fake Electrical Fuses |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon PhotosPlus discontinuation
|2024
|
|Since September 2024, it is no longer possible to use the Amazon Echo Show 8 as a digital frame without advertisements.
|[[Amazon PhotosPlus discontinuation]]
|
|-
|Amazon uses [[dark patterns]] for its premium subscription
|2023 – Present
|Systematically designing the cancelling steps to be complicated and long; using tricks to enroll users into the subscription.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=FTC Takes Action Against Amazon for Enrolling Consumers in Amazon Prime Without Consent and Sabotaging Their Attempts to Cancel |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129015417/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |archive-date=2025-01-29 |website=[[Federal Trade Commission]]}}</ref> See "Project Illiad".
|Continues to occur.
|
|
|-
|Amazon removes option to lend Kindle e-books
|2022
|E-books marked with "lending enabled" could be lent to other Kindle users for a period of time during which the title is unavailable to the sender.
|Since August 2022, it is not possible to borrow Kindle books.
|
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAvFmnuZZMI '''Amazon Discontinues Lending Kindle e-Books''']
|-
|Amazon removes option not to send voice recordings from Echo devices
|2025
|In March 2025, Echo customers with the option "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" enabled received an e-mail that local processing will no longer be supported on their device.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=TechLinked – Microsoft’s Big Oopsie – Echo voice recordings, Gemini watermarks |url=https://youtu.be/DhXH83O6pXc?t=268 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=DhXH83O6pXc |archive-date=2025-03-18 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=YouTube – TechLinked}}</ref>
|
|[[Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage]]
|
|-
|Amazon discontinues Appstore for Android devices
|2025
|On August 20, 2025, Amazon will remove Android devices' access to the Amazon Appstore.
|Android apps downloaded through the Amazon Appstore will cease to function.
|[[Amazon revokes access to their Appstore on non-Amazon devices|Amazon pulls the plug on its Android app store that you never used anyway]]
|
|-
|Amazon removes kindle books from user libraries.
|2009
|In 2009, Amazon removed 2 illegally published books, Animal Farm and 1984, from sale and user libraries, along with any notes and annotations made by the reader. Others have also reported missing books from their libraries.
|Those affected have been given refunds and there haven't been any further documented cases of books being removed from readers' libraries, although user reports are still prevalent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=A |first=Georgie |date=13 Nov 2022 |title=Bought books removed by Amazon. |url=https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000ALx14HSQR/bought-books-removed-by-amazon |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250813120836/https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000ALx14HSQR/bought-books-removed-by-amazon |archive-date=13 Aug 2025|access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Amazon}}</ref>
|[https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18amazon.html Amazon Erases Orwell Books From Kindle]
|
|-
|Amazon purposely delays assisting customers with lost packages
|2025
|Amazon has been found delaying assistance to customers who contact customer service to report issues with a order (i.e., a missing package). Amazon states they are unable to take any action until a certain date, delaying the resolution process further in hopes the customer will not contact them again to request a refund.
|Unknown
|
|
|-
|Amazon adds ads on the lockscreen's of Amazon Fire Tablets & Amazon Kindle
|2012 - Present
|Amazon shows ads on both the Kindle & Fire Tablets lockscreen's to get money out of your purchases makes you pay a fee to remove them. This only applies to the cheaper models.
|This practice still occurs, but is very easy to remove through a quick search.
|[https://xdaforums.com/t/windows-linux-tool-fire-toolbox-v42-1.3889604/ Fire Toolbox]
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=T70xcAGUDQ4cR5PwPR Learn More About Ads On Kindle Fire and Fire Tablet - Amazon]
|
|-
|Amazon ends support for Fire TV Blaster's making them unusable
|2026
|Amazon ends support for the Fire TV Blaster on January 31, 2026
|
|[https://www.heise.de/en/news/Amazon-makes-Fire-TV-Blaster-unusable-11145570.html Amazon makes Fire TV Blaster's unusable]
|
|-
|Amazon cancels order, and requiring age verification to reorder
|2026
|
|
|
|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKDpMel08LM
|-
|Amazon Luna removes access to purchased games, offers no refunds
|2026
|Starting April 10, 2026, Amazon Luna ceased offering individual game purchases and third-party subscriptions (EA, Ubisoft+, GOG, Jackbox). The "Bring Your Own Library" feature, allowing users to stream games from linked accounts on Luna, was also removed.
|Purchased games remain '''playable via streaming only until June 10, 2026, after which they become inaccessible on Luna'''. Amazon explicitly stated it will not offer refunds for a-la-carte game purchases, contrasting with Google's full-refund policy when it shut down Stadia. Amazon offered Luna Premium subscriptions only to "qualifying" users.
|[https://www.theverge.com/tech/910025/amazon-luna-third-party-games-subscriptions Amazon Luna axes third Party game purchases]
[https://kotaku.com/amazons-luna-service-removing-access-to-purchased-games-and-is-offering-no-refunds-2000686688 Amazon's Game streaming service removing access to Purchased Games And Offering no refunds]

[https://alternativeto.net/news/2026/4/amazon-luna-is-slowly-starting-to-die-killing-game-purchases-and-third-party-subscriptions/ Amazon Luna in its demise is slowly killing game purchases]

[https://www.siliconera.com/amazon-luna-purchased-games-will-be-unplayable-after-june-2026/ Amazon Luna purchased games will be unplayable After June 2026]
|
|}

==Products==
===Amazon Prime (''2005–Present'')===
Amazon uses [[dark patterns]] for its subscription services, including tricking users into subscribing and making it very complicated to cancel. Moreover, some features of the service, such as free deliveries, are region locked to where you initially subscribed, forcing you to buy another subscription to be able to use the service.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mabood |first=Wasay |date=2023-02-22 |title=Geo-block Content Using Amazon Location and Edge Services |url=https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/networking-and-content-delivery/geo-block-content-using-amazon-location-and-edge-services/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415190723/https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/networking-and-content-delivery/geo-block-content-using-amazon-location-and-edge-services/ |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=[[Amazon Web Services (AWS)]]}}</ref>

Prime video further only allows for HD streaming on Windows and MacOS, despite streaming services such as Netflix allowing HD streaming on Linux <ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Video System Requirements for Computers |url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=atv_unsupported_systems_bannerlink?nodeId=GUVGB3QMQRYRERYW |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260214133717/https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GUVGB3QMQRYRERYW |archive-date=2026-02-14}}</ref>.

===Amazon Kindle (''2007–Present'')===
Amazon has progressively removed options for products purchased through the Kindle, effectively changing the meaning of purchases and ownership. It first removed the ability of users to lend e-books to one another, and later removed the ability to download purchased e-books to a computer.

===Amazon Appstore (''2011–Present'')===
Amazon Appstore is the primary app store for Amazon's Fire devices, and is also available on other Android devices. On August 20, 2025, Amazon has removed access to the app store for all non-Fire devices. Apps installed on non-Fire devices from the Amazon Appstore have ceased to function but Fire devices are still to be able to access the Amazon Appstore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Doffman |first=Zak |date=17 Aug 2025 |title=Amazon’s App Store Deadline—Stop Using Your Apps In 48 Hours |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/08/17/amazons-app-store-decision-48-hours-to-delete-your-apps/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251122155445/https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/08/17/amazons-app-store-decision-48-hours-to-delete-your-apps/ |archive-date=22 Nov 2025|access-date=30 Nov 2025 |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravi |first=Nandika |date=20 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon will suspend support for its Appstore on Android |url=https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/amazon-will-suspend-support-for-its-appstore-on-android |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222204353/https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/amazon-will-suspend-support-for-its-appstore-on-android |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|access-date=30 Nov 2025 |website=Android Central}}</ref> There was no restitution for non-Fire users who may have purchased paid apps through the Amazon Appstore.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon Appstore on Android has been discontinued. |url=https://www.amazon.com/b?node=210942225011 |url-status=live |website=Amazon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maruccia |first=Alfonso |date=2025-02-21 |title=Amazon pulls the plug on its Android app store after 14 years |url=https://www.techspot.com/news/106872-amazon-appstore-android-discontinued-summer.html |url-status=live |website=TECHSPOT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Powel |first=James |date=2025-08-17 |title=The Amazon Appstore shuts down on Androids Aug. 20. Will you get a refund? |url=https://www.aol.com/amazon-appstore-shuts-down-androids-212404113.html |url-status=live |website=AOL / USA Today}}</ref>

===Amazon Alexa (''2013–Present'')===
On July 1st 2024, Amazon removed third-party list support from the Alexa service, resulting in only lists hosted by Amazon being supported<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=2025-09-16 |title=Deprecated Features |website=Amazon Developer Documentation |url=https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/ask-overviews/deprecated-features.html#shopping-lists |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522134122/https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/ask-overviews/deprecated-features.html#shopping-lists |archive-date=2025-05-22 }}</ref>. While it is still possible to manage lists via Alexa skills, these now require the skill activation phrase to be used (e.g. "Alexa, ask AnyList to add XYZ to my shopping list"). This followed from a [[Google#Google Assistant 3rd Party List Support|similar move by Google]] in 2023.

Sometime in 2025 Amazon added an upgrade nag widget to Alexa for "Alexa+" that is impossible to turn off. In some cases the upgrade was automatic, and users had to opt-out<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell-Hicks |first=Jennifer |date=2026-01-13 |title=Amazon is automatically upgrading Prime members to Alexa+. Here's how to opt out |url=https://www.12news.com/article/news/nation-world/amazon-automatic-upgrade-alexa-plus-how-to-opt-out/507-3105c319-0f52-421a-b741-9ad6919f22e5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/eAbrI |archive-date=2026-04-15 |website=[[12news]]}}</ref>

===Amazon Echo (''2014–Present'')===

===Amazon Luna (''2020—2026'')===
Amazon Luna is Amazon's cloud gaming service, launched in 2020 as a competitor to Xbox Cloud Gaming and Google Stadia. In April 2026, Amazon abruptly ended support for individual game purchases and third-party storefronts including EA, GOG, and Ubisoft, stripping the platform of its "own your games" model. Previously purchased games will be rendered unplayable via Luna as of June 10, 2026, with no refunds offered. Save-game data can be downloaded until September 8th, 2026.

Amazon is switching to a subscription model called Luna Premium, which does not allow purchases of individual video games.

Support article: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=TY9Z4zZ7vgVwLA0b7C

===Amazon PhotosPlus (''2023–2024'')===
Amazon sold physical devices that could displaying photos stored in its Amazon Photos cloud storage through its PhotosPlus service. Less than one year later, it cancelled the service, which [[Retroactively amended purchase|changed the functionality]] of the devices, including showing advertisements every few hours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=21 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon cancels the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition’s main feature — focusing on photos |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/21/24225149/amazon-end-photosplus-subscription-echo-show-8-photos-edition |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251216124644/https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/21/24225149/amazon-end-photosplus-subscription-echo-show-8-photos-edition |archive-date=16 Dec 2025|access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>

===All Louis Rossmann videos covering Amazon===
<references group="Video References" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Amazon

2026-06-03T17:58:29Z

Left4Code: added Maria128's article to the incident table!

{{CompanyCargo
| Founded = 1994
| Industry = Technology
| Logo = Amazon.svg
| ParentCompany =
| Type = Public
| Website = https://amazon.com/
| Description = Major e-commerce platform which has allowed fraudulent listings, removed functionality and purchased products from Kindle devices, and more.
}}

'''{{Wplink|Amazon (company)|Amazon.com, Inc.}}''' is a global leader in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos. Originally launched as an online bookstore, Amazon quickly expanded into a marketplace offering a wide range of products, including - but not limited to - electronics, clothing, household goods, and groceries. Today, it is one of the largest companies in the world, with a dominant presence in retail, technology, and logistics.

In addition to its e-commerce platform, Amazon is a major player in cloud computing through Amazon Web Services (AWS), which provides cloud infrastructure and services to businesses globally. The company also offers a variety of digital services, such as Amazon Prime - which provides streaming video and music - and Alexa; its voice-activated virtual assistant. Amazon has also developed consumer products like the Kindle e-reader, Fire tablets, and Echo smart speakers.

Amazon has faced significant scrutiny and criticism, particularly concerning its treatment of workers, marketplace practices, data privacy issues, and its impact on small businesses. It has been involved in various regulatory and legal challenges related to anti-competitive behavior, safety, and consumer protection, with calls for increased oversight on its business operations.

==Consumer impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}
====Business model====
Amazon gets a majority of its revenue from seller fees and Amazon Prime memberships. In addition, Amazon has a "subscribe and save" option for some products. With this, the page to manage these subscriptions is obfuscated for the user, intentional or not.

<gallery>
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 1.jpg|No "subscribe and save" option available.
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 2.jpg|The option appears in the "buy again" section.
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 3.jpg
</gallery>

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this company. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:Amazon|Amazon category]].
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background info
!Aftermath
!Related article
!Related video(s)
|-
|Amazon Prime Music Including Advertisements and Removing Downloads
|2026
|Amazon announced that In select countries such as '''India''', the Amazon Prime Music subscription will now contain Advertisements remove download functionality for users.
|Ongoing.
|

# [[Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026)]]
# [[Amazon Prime Music Including Advertisements and Removing Downloads]]
|N/A
|-
|Amazon ends support for older Kindle devices.
|2026
|In early April 2026, a Reddit user posted about an email announcement from Amazon saying their device would not be able to download new content after May 20th, 2026.
|Starting May 20th, 2026, Amazon will end support for for Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets released before 2013. Although users will still be able to read existing books on their devices, they will no longer be able to download new content to the device.
|https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-amazon-ends-support-older-kindles-2026/
|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtk7ERwlIAk&t=246s
|-
|Amazon increases the price to not see ads
|2026
|"...on April 10, 2026, Prime Video Ad Free will become Prime Video Ultra with enhanced viewing features, and your subscription price will increase by $4.99/month.
... From 04-14-2026, your subscription will automatically renew at $4.99/month, unless you cancel."
|The price to not see ads in Prime Video will be increased. The users are notified by email that the subscription price is increased automatically unless extra action is taken.
|http://aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription
|
|-
|Amazon removing kindle books from old devices.
|2025
|As of May 26, 2025 Kindle for Android app versions released prior to March 2022 (v8.51 or earlier) no longer support Kindle content downloads.
|Old android devices (such as Galaxy Tab 4) that are not compatible with Android OS v.9.0+ are no longer able to download Kindle ebooks. Furthermore, Amazon 'forcibly' removed any ebooks downloaded to the kindle app on those devices the next time they connected to the internet, without warning that this would occur.
|https://www.androidauthority.com/kindle-app-drm-loophole-3554844/
|
|-
|Amazon removing ability to download Kindle books
|2025
|Starting on February 26, 2025, Amazon removed a feature from its website allowing users to download purchased books to a computer and then copy them manually to a Kindle over USB.
|Starting February 26, 2025, the ‘Download & Transfer via USB’ option will no longer be available.
|[[Amazon Kindle removes download feature of purchased books]]
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMoCzeGnIss '''Amazon are changing the way you own your Kindle books - you have 10 days to react''']
<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon revokes the concept of owning books, can edit books you already bought; PIRACY IS THE ANSWER! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XfcoUdWCB9M |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=XfcoUdWCB9M |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon Fresh/Go Stores
(Convenience & Grocery Brick and Mortar Stores)
|2024
|Revealed in 2024, Amazon's convenience stores powered by "AI" is really just human contractors from India watching people shop.
|
|[https://futurism.com/the-byte/amazon-abandons-ai-stores Amazon Abandons Grocery Stores Where You Just Walk Out With Stuff After It Turns Out Its “AI” Was Powered by 1,000 Human Contractors]
|
|-
|Amazon sells lethal litterboxes
|2024
|Amazon sold knockoffs of Whisker brand "Litter-Robot" litterboxes that were designed in a unsafe way that led to the deaths of multiple cats, and posed a danger to young children.
|The responsible knockoff product was delisted, yet many other variants of the same product exist on the site.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=10 Sep 2024 |title=Amazon litterbox fatally harms cat; this is the sad end result of what I've talked about all year :( |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=p6Y19nSPvC4 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=p6Y19nSPvC4 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon adds ads to premium subscription
|2023 – Present
|Amazon added advertisements to previously ad free subscriptions for Prime Video and Echo Show frames.
|Continues to occur.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=26 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon charges extra to avoid ads, says "lol jk" & adds them anyway |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=RSi6g5-xUaY |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=RSi6g5-xUaY |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2 May 2024 |title=Amazon Hikes Profits by Forcing Ads on PAID Prime Subscribers |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=ua_QL9YysHQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=ua_QL9YysHQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=28 Dec 2023 |title=Ads on Amazon Prime Video: Paying More for Less? 😒 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=VLFpU9aqtXc |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=VLFpU9aqtXc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon allows fraudulent listings
|2014 – Present
|
|Fraudulent listings continue to be added, some removed.
|[[Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review! Deep dive on Amazon's support of scams |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=qZCMislL6_I |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=qZCMislL6_I |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=14 Jan 2024 |title=Amazon's Reckless Bet: Hazardous Items Unfazed by Viral Scare |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=7trdHLtsFKM |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=7trdHLtsFKM |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=30 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Fake Electrical Fuses |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=21 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon's Illusion of Quality: How Dangerous Products Get Top Ratings! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=DiKflg8Uko4 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=DiKflg8Uko4 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=16 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Dangerous Electrical Crimps |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=y83BS_mK9GE |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=y83BS_mK9GE |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Aug 2023 |title=Amazon sells EOL devices as new after banning independents for quality control 🤣 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rhb0ID9z4aE |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=Rhb0ID9z4aE |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=24 Feb 2022 |title=Amazon has a credibility problem brewing |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XZNn2mO3dNQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=XZNn2mO3dNQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=24 Apr 2014 |title=Group Vertical eBay/Amazon Macbook screens are garbage; see for yourself! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=C0YNLWdj9sQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=C0YNLWdj9sQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon allows sellers to bribe customers for better ratings
|2016 – Present
|Amazon sellers give customers gift cards in exchange for positive product reviews; Amazon does nothing to stop this.
|Continues to occur.
|[[Amazon's history of seller bribery]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=16 Jul 2024 |title=Amazon sellers bribe customers for good reviews; Amazon does nothing |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=eS698R-bxuc |website=Youtube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=eS698R-bxuc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon has bad marketplace algorithms
|2023 – Present
|
|Algorithms still seem to be nonbeneficial.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=4 Jan 2024 |title=Beyond Algorithms: Why Amazon's Automated Systems Fail Sellers & Customers |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=tAaSXz8CBMc |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=tAaSXz8CBMc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon trashes refurbished market
|2022 – 2023
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Jul 2023 |title=Apple & Amazon pay a fine for trashing the refurbished market |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=h3qgbvq2SWs |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=h3qgbvq2SWs |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=8 Sep 2022 |title=eBay follows amazon's lead, consolidating & destroying the refurbished marketplace |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=qzUXmeaZsIQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=qzUXmeaZsIQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon cancels associate account after recent negative media coverage, with a different reason
|2023
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=22 Jun 2023 |title=Amazon cancelled my account after exposing their wrongful lockout of a paying customer |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kcohq313q00 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=Kcohq313q00 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon wrongfully suspends account of home owner
|2023
|A home owner was locked out of their Amazon account for nearly a week, after a delivery driver from Amazon misheard an automated message from their Eufy doorbell.
|Account reinstated.
|[[Amazon locks home owner out of Amazon account over allegation by Amazon delivery driver|Amazon locks home owner out of amazon account over allegation by amazon delivery driver]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Jun 2023 |title=Man locked out of amazon account over his doorbell gets account back, but no apology |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=SyEgD-5GK9c |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=SyEgD-5GK9c |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=12 Jun 2023 |title=Amazon accuses customer of racism & shuts down their smart home - enough cloud junk |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=NfiIXooD77s |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=NfiIXooD77s |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon engages in anticompetitive behavior
|2021 – 2022
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Sep 2022 |title=Amazon forces sellers to keep prices high on other platforms |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=YBJoSGWdP0Y |website=Youtube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=YBJoSGWdP0Y |archive-date=21 Nov 2025}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=15 Feb 2026 |title=Amazon copying products/rigging search results |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XCLx4mVJ4gk |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=XCLx4mVJ4gk |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon sells fake electrical fuses
|2023 – Present
|Fuses are being sold that do not blow when supplied more power than it is intended to handle, which is a major safety risk.
|These fuses are still being sold to this day.
|[[Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review! Deep dive on Amazons support of scams]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=30 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Fake Electrical Fuses |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon PhotosPlus discontinuation
|2024
|
|Since September 2024, it is no longer possible to use the Amazon Echo Show 8 as a digital frame without advertisements.
|[[Amazon PhotosPlus discontinuation]]
|
|-
|Amazon uses [[dark patterns]] for its premium subscription
|2023 – Present
|Systematically designing the cancelling steps to be complicated and long; using tricks to enroll users into the subscription.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=FTC Takes Action Against Amazon for Enrolling Consumers in Amazon Prime Without Consent and Sabotaging Their Attempts to Cancel |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129015417/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |archive-date=2025-01-29 |website=[[Federal Trade Commission]]}}</ref> See "Project Illiad".
|Continues to occur.
|
|
|-
|Amazon removes option to lend Kindle e-books
|2022
|E-books marked with "lending enabled" could be lent to other Kindle users for a period of time during which the title is unavailable to the sender.
|Since August 2022, it is not possible to borrow Kindle books.
|
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAvFmnuZZMI '''Amazon Discontinues Lending Kindle e-Books''']
|-
|Amazon removes option not to send voice recordings from Echo devices
|2025
|In March 2025, Echo customers with the option "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" enabled received an e-mail that local processing will no longer be supported on their device.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=TechLinked – Microsoft’s Big Oopsie – Echo voice recordings, Gemini watermarks |url=https://youtu.be/DhXH83O6pXc?t=268 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=DhXH83O6pXc |archive-date=2025-03-18 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=YouTube – TechLinked}}</ref>
|
|[[Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage]]
|
|-
|Amazon discontinues Appstore for Android devices
|2025
|On August 20, 2025, Amazon will remove Android devices' access to the Amazon Appstore.
|Android apps downloaded through the Amazon Appstore will cease to function.
|[[Amazon revokes access to their Appstore on non-Amazon devices|Amazon pulls the plug on its Android app store that you never used anyway]]
|
|-
|Amazon removes kindle books from user libraries.
|2009
|In 2009, Amazon removed 2 illegally published books, Animal Farm and 1984, from sale and user libraries, along with any notes and annotations made by the reader. Others have also reported missing books from their libraries.
|Those affected have been given refunds and there haven't been any further documented cases of books being removed from readers' libraries, although user reports are still prevalent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=A |first=Georgie |date=13 Nov 2022 |title=Bought books removed by Amazon. |url=https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000ALx14HSQR/bought-books-removed-by-amazon |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250813120836/https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000ALx14HSQR/bought-books-removed-by-amazon |archive-date=13 Aug 2025|access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Amazon}}</ref>
|[https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18amazon.html Amazon Erases Orwell Books From Kindle]
|
|-
|Amazon purposely delays assisting customers with lost packages
|2025
|Amazon has been found delaying assistance to customers who contact customer service to report issues with a order (i.e., a missing package). Amazon states they are unable to take any action until a certain date, delaying the resolution process further in hopes the customer will not contact them again to request a refund.
|Unknown
|
|
|-
|Amazon adds ads on the lockscreen's of Amazon Fire Tablets & Amazon Kindle
|2012 - Present
|Amazon shows ads on both the Kindle & Fire Tablets lockscreen's to get money out of your purchases makes you pay a fee to remove them. This only applies to the cheaper models.
|This practice still occurs, but is very easy to remove through a quick search.
|[https://xdaforums.com/t/windows-linux-tool-fire-toolbox-v42-1.3889604/ Fire Toolbox]
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=T70xcAGUDQ4cR5PwPR Learn More About Ads On Kindle Fire and Fire Tablet - Amazon]
|
|-
|Amazon ends support for Fire TV Blaster's making them unusable
|2026
|Amazon ends support for the Fire TV Blaster on January 31, 2026
|
|[https://www.heise.de/en/news/Amazon-makes-Fire-TV-Blaster-unusable-11145570.html Amazon makes Fire TV Blaster's unusable]
|
|-
|Amazon cancels order, and requiring age verification to reorder
|2026
|
|
|
|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKDpMel08LM
|-
|Amazon Luna removes access to purchased games, offers no refunds
|2026
|Starting April 10, 2026, Amazon Luna ceased offering individual game purchases and third-party subscriptions (EA, Ubisoft+, GOG, Jackbox). The "Bring Your Own Library" feature, allowing users to stream games from linked accounts on Luna, was also removed.
|Purchased games remain '''playable via streaming only until June 10, 2026, after which they become inaccessible on Luna'''. Amazon explicitly stated it will not offer refunds for a-la-carte game purchases, contrasting with Google's full-refund policy when it shut down Stadia. Amazon offered Luna Premium subscriptions only to "qualifying" users.
|[https://www.theverge.com/tech/910025/amazon-luna-third-party-games-subscriptions Amazon Luna axes third Party game purchases]
[https://kotaku.com/amazons-luna-service-removing-access-to-purchased-games-and-is-offering-no-refunds-2000686688 Amazon's Game streaming service removing access to Purchased Games And Offering no refunds]

[https://alternativeto.net/news/2026/4/amazon-luna-is-slowly-starting-to-die-killing-game-purchases-and-third-party-subscriptions/ Amazon Luna in its demise is slowly killing game purchases]

[https://www.siliconera.com/amazon-luna-purchased-games-will-be-unplayable-after-june-2026/ Amazon Luna purchased games will be unplayable After June 2026]
|
|}

==Products==
===Amazon Prime (''2005–Present'')===
Amazon uses [[dark patterns]] for its subscription services, including tricking users into subscribing and making it very complicated to cancel. Moreover, some features of the service, such as free deliveries, are region locked to where you initially subscribed, forcing you to buy another subscription to be able to use the service.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mabood |first=Wasay |date=2023-02-22 |title=Geo-block Content Using Amazon Location and Edge Services |url=https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/networking-and-content-delivery/geo-block-content-using-amazon-location-and-edge-services/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415190723/https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/networking-and-content-delivery/geo-block-content-using-amazon-location-and-edge-services/ |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=[[Amazon Web Services (AWS)]]}}</ref>

Prime video further only allows for HD streaming on Windows and MacOS, despite streaming services such as Netflix allowing HD streaming on Linux <ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Video System Requirements for Computers |url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=atv_unsupported_systems_bannerlink?nodeId=GUVGB3QMQRYRERYW |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260214133717/https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GUVGB3QMQRYRERYW |archive-date=2026-02-14}}</ref>.

===Amazon Kindle (''2007–Present'')===
Amazon has progressively removed options for products purchased through the Kindle, effectively changing the meaning of purchases and ownership. It first removed the ability of users to lend e-books to one another, and later removed the ability to download purchased e-books to a computer.

===Amazon Appstore (''2011–Present'')===
Amazon Appstore is the primary app store for Amazon's Fire devices, and is also available on other Android devices. On August 20, 2025, Amazon has removed access to the app store for all non-Fire devices. Apps installed on non-Fire devices from the Amazon Appstore have ceased to function but Fire devices are still to be able to access the Amazon Appstore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Doffman |first=Zak |date=17 Aug 2025 |title=Amazon’s App Store Deadline—Stop Using Your Apps In 48 Hours |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/08/17/amazons-app-store-decision-48-hours-to-delete-your-apps/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251122155445/https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/08/17/amazons-app-store-decision-48-hours-to-delete-your-apps/ |archive-date=22 Nov 2025|access-date=30 Nov 2025 |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravi |first=Nandika |date=20 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon will suspend support for its Appstore on Android |url=https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/amazon-will-suspend-support-for-its-appstore-on-android |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222204353/https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/amazon-will-suspend-support-for-its-appstore-on-android |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|access-date=30 Nov 2025 |website=Android Central}}</ref> There was no restitution for non-Fire users who may have purchased paid apps through the Amazon Appstore.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon Appstore on Android has been discontinued. |url=https://www.amazon.com/b?node=210942225011 |url-status=live |website=Amazon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maruccia |first=Alfonso |date=2025-02-21 |title=Amazon pulls the plug on its Android app store after 14 years |url=https://www.techspot.com/news/106872-amazon-appstore-android-discontinued-summer.html |url-status=live |website=TECHSPOT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Powel |first=James |date=2025-08-17 |title=The Amazon Appstore shuts down on Androids Aug. 20. Will you get a refund? |url=https://www.aol.com/amazon-appstore-shuts-down-androids-212404113.html |url-status=live |website=AOL / USA Today}}</ref>

===Amazon Alexa (''2013–Present'')===
On July 1st 2024, Amazon removed third-party list support from the Alexa service, resulting in only lists hosted by Amazon being supported<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=2025-09-16 |title=Deprecated Features |website=Amazon Developer Documentation |url=https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/ask-overviews/deprecated-features.html#shopping-lists |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522134122/https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/ask-overviews/deprecated-features.html#shopping-lists |archive-date=2025-05-22 }}</ref>. While it is still possible to manage lists via Alexa skills, these now require the skill activation phrase to be used (e.g. "Alexa, ask AnyList to add XYZ to my shopping list"). This followed from a [[Google#Google Assistant 3rd Party List Support|similar move by Google]] in 2023.

Sometime in 2025 Amazon added an upgrade nag widget to Alexa for "Alexa+" that is impossible to turn off. In some cases the upgrade was automatic, and users had to opt-out<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell-Hicks |first=Jennifer |date=2026-01-13 |title=Amazon is automatically upgrading Prime members to Alexa+. Here's how to opt out |url=https://www.12news.com/article/news/nation-world/amazon-automatic-upgrade-alexa-plus-how-to-opt-out/507-3105c319-0f52-421a-b741-9ad6919f22e5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/eAbrI |archive-date=2026-04-15 |website=[[12news]]}}</ref>

===Amazon Echo (''2014–Present'')===

===Amazon Luna (''2020—2026'')===
Amazon Luna is Amazon's cloud gaming service, launched in 2020 as a competitor to Xbox Cloud Gaming and Google Stadia. In April 2026, Amazon abruptly ended support for individual game purchases and third-party storefronts including EA, GOG, and Ubisoft, stripping the platform of its "own your games" model. Previously purchased games will be rendered unplayable via Luna as of June 10, 2026, with no refunds offered. Save-game data can be downloaded until September 8th, 2026.

Amazon is switching to a subscription model called Luna Premium, which does not allow purchases of individual video games.

Support article: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=TY9Z4zZ7vgVwLA0b7C

===Amazon PhotosPlus (''2023–2024'')===
Amazon sold physical devices that could displaying photos stored in its Amazon Photos cloud storage through its PhotosPlus service. Less than one year later, it cancelled the service, which [[Retroactively amended purchase|changed the functionality]] of the devices, including showing advertisements every few hours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=21 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon cancels the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition’s main feature — focusing on photos |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/21/24225149/amazon-end-photosplus-subscription-echo-show-8-photos-edition |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251216124644/https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/21/24225149/amazon-end-photosplus-subscription-echo-show-8-photos-edition |archive-date=16 Dec 2025|access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>

===All Louis Rossmann videos covering Amazon===
<references group="Video References" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026)

2026-06-03T17:55:48Z

Left4Code: added amazon picture from my original article to this one.

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Subscription,Terms of Service,Service Degradation
|Description=On July 2, 2026 Amazon will add ads & drop offline downloads from the Prime music benefit, steering members to paid Music Unlimited
}}

On June 2, 2026, [[Amazon]] notified Prime members by email that, effective July 2, 2026, the music benefit bundled with a Prime subscription will begin carrying advertisements and will stop supporting offline downloads, with HD, Ultra HD, and Spatial Audio reserved for the separately paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="medianama" /><ref name="businessstandard" /> Members keep on-demand access to the catalog of more than 100 million songs & 15 million podcast episodes, but to restore ad-free, offline, high-fidelity listening they must subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited at a cost on top of what they already pay for Prime.<ref name="inc42" /><ref name="indiatv" /> The change rolled out in India, with the same email reported by a user in Australia.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Background==

Amazon bundled a music service with Prime membership for years as one of several perks alongside Prime Video and shopping benefits.<ref name="medianama" /> In November 2022, Amazon expanded the bundled catalog from 2 million songs to its full library of more than 100 million tracks, but limited Prime-tier playback to shuffle mode based on artist, album, or playlist. Prime members kept on-demand play & downloads for a set of curated All-Access playlists, while full on-demand selection across the catalog & downloads of any track required the paid Amazon Music Unlimited tier.<ref name="variety" /><ref name="aboutamazon" /> That 2022 expansion kept the Prime music benefit ad-free.<ref name="aboutamazon" /> The 2026 change is separate: it introduces ads, removes offline downloads, and reserves high-fidelity audio for Amazon Music Unlimited.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" />

==The 2026 changes==
[[File:Amazon Prime Music Email Picture.jpg|alt=Amazon Prime Music Email|thumb|Amazon Prime Music Email]]
The email Amazon sent to existing Prime users on June 2, 2026 read:

<blockquote>''Starting July 2, 2026, your Amazon Prime Music benefit will include ads and no longer support downloads. You'll still have access to over 100 million songs and 15 million+ podcast episodes, on demand. To continue enjoying unlimited music, ad-free, and listen offline, now with HD & Spatial Audio, try Amazon Music Unlimited at a special offer for Prime members.''</blockquote><ref name="medianama" />

Inc42 reported that the Prime Music benefit will continue to offer on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and over 15 million podcast episodes, but will no longer be ad-free and will not allow downloaded content to be played offline once the changes take effect.<ref name="inc42" /> Downloaded files are not deleted. Amazon told subscribers their downloaded music & podcast episodes will remain in their library, and that starting July 2 they will only be able to stream them while online.<ref name="inc42" /> India TV reported that Prime members keep access to the song and podcast library but lose HD & Ultra HD streaming, Dolby Atmos & Spatial Audio, and offline downloads, and begin hearing ads on July 2.<ref name="indiatv" />

==Tier restructuring and pricing==

Alongside the change, Amazon split its music service into three tiers. Amazon Music Unlimited is the paid plan, with on-demand access to more than 100 million songs and podcasts, ad-free playback, offline downloads, & HD, Ultra HD & Spatial Audio including Dolby Atmos. Amazon Music for Prime is the ad-supported middle tier included with membership, with full on-demand catalog access but no offline downloads. Amazon Music Free is a forthcoming ad-supported tier with limited features.<ref name="businessstandard" /> What's Trending described the effect on existing subscribers, writing that ''"Prime members now land in the middle tier"'' with ads, no downloads, and no HD audio.<ref name="whatstrending" />

In India, Amazon Music Unlimited costs Rs 99 per month for Prime members, who can try it free for six months before the subscription renews at that rate; non-Prime users get a three-month free trial.<ref name="businessstandard" /> Reporting on the non-Prime monthly price differed: Business Standard listed Rs 119 per month, while India TV listed Rs 199 per month.<ref name="businessstandard" /><ref name="indiatv" /> India TV characterized the structure as a push toward the paid plan, writing that ''"Amazon is clearly steering Prime users toward the paid option."''<ref name="indiatv" />

==Geographic rollout==

Amazon confirmed the change for Prime members in India, where the announcement coincided with the launch of Amazon Music Unlimited in that market.<ref name="indiatv" /> Android Headlines reported that the change was not happening in all regions and that subscribers in the United States, and presumably several other regions, still had no ads in Prime Music; it noted a Reddit post from a user who said they were in Australia and had received the same notice, putting the email in at least two markets.<ref name="androidheadlines" /> What's Trending reported the email arriving from multiple regions including India & Australia.<ref name="whatstrending" /> As of the June 2026 reporting, Android Headlines framed a wider rollout as possible rather than confirmed.<ref name="androidheadlines" />

==Legal and regulatory context==

In July 2025, U.S. District Judge Barbara J. Rothstein dismissed a class action that argued Amazon's 2024 introduction of ads on Prime Video, with a $2.99-per-month opt-out on top of the $139 annual Prime fee, amounted to a price increase.<ref name="deadline" /> Rothstein wrote that the addition of ads ''"constituted a change in subscription benefits as opposed to a price increase,"'' and that all subscribers agree to a contract when they join Prime, giving Amazon the ability to alter the services provided.<ref name="deadline" />

A separate ruling reached a different conclusion abroad. MediaNama reported that the Munich I Regional Court in Germany found Amazon's rollout of ads on Prime Video without user consent unlawful and a violation of fair-competition law, calling the notification email misleading because customers had expected an ad-free service and Amazon had made the ad-free experience the ''"subject matter of the contract."''<ref name="medianama" />

Amazon's Prime program has also drawn United States regulatory action over how the subscription is sold. On September 25, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Amazon, which it had sued in 2023, agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement, made up of a $1 billion civil penalty & $1.5 billion in consumer redress, over what the FTC called dark patterns in Prime enrollment & cancellation that violated the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act.<ref name="khlaw" /><ref name="dglaw" /> The Davis+Gilbert analysis noted that executives Neil Lindsay & Jamil Ghani were included in the settlement while claims against Russell Grandinetti were dismissed.<ref name="dglaw" /> That settlement concerned enrollment practices, not the music benefit.

==Consumer and media response==

Android Headlines characterized the change as a downgrade of a paid perk, writing that Amazon ''"further erodes Prime perks"'' and that Prime Music had been ''"perhaps one of the last bastions of ad-free streaming music."''<ref name="androidheadlines" /> The same report traced Amazon's Prime Video precedent: ads added in 2024, then a $3 monthly add-on to remove them, since raised to $5 extra.<ref name="androidheadlines" /> What's Trending described the approach as a pattern, writing that it was the same playbook Amazon ran with Prime Video, bundling a service, letting people get used to it, then degrading it until paying more felt like the only option.<ref name="whatstrending" />

MediaNama reported that internet users described the forced rollout of ads as a deliberate move to degrade a paid feature, with some saying they would cancel their subscriptions if Amazon did not back away.<ref name="medianama" />

==See also==

*[[Amazon to charge non-Prime consumers to use Alexa]]
*[[Enshittification]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="medianama">{{Cite web |title=Amazon draws flak for bringing ads to Prime Music: What's changing? |url=https://www.medianama.com/2026/06/223-amazon-draws-flak-bringing-ads-prime-music-whats-changing/ |publisher=MediaNama |author=Amit Singh |date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="businessstandard">{{Cite web |title=Amazon Music adds ads for Prime members, ad-free costs extra: Details here |url=https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/amazon-music-adds-ads-for-prime-members-ad-free-costs-extra-details-here-126060200346_1.html |publisher=Business Standard |author=Sweta Kumari |date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="indiatv">{{Cite web |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launched: Prime members to see Ads from July 2, Ad-free plan starts at Rs 99 |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/amazon-music-unlimited-launched-prime-members-to-see-ads-from-july-2-ad-free-plan-starts-at-rs-99-2026-06-02-1043390 |publisher=India TV News |author=Saumya Nigam |date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="inc42">{{Cite web |title=Amazon Puts Ads On Prime Music, Pulls Offline Listening |url=https://inc42.com/buzz/amazon-puts-ads-on-prime-music-pulls-offline-listening/ |publisher=Inc42 |author=Lokesh Choudhary |date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="androidheadlines">{{Cite web |title=Amazon further erodes Prime perks by sliding ads into Prime Music |url=https://www.androidheadlines.com/2026/06/amazon-further-erodes-prime-perks-by-sliding-ads-into-prime-music.html |publisher=Android Headlines |author=Justin Diaz |date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="whatstrending">{{Cite web |title=Amazon Prime Music Is Getting Ads and Killing Downloads Next Month |url=https://whatstrending.com/amazon-prime-music-is-getting-ads-and-killing-downloads-next-month/ |publisher=What's Trending |author=Keisha Oleaga |date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="variety">{{Cite web |title=Amazon Music for Prime Members Expands to 100 Million Songs, but Shifts From On-Demand to Shuffle-Mode Play |url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/amazon-music-prime-100-million-songs-shuffle-mode-podcasts-ad-free-1235416844/ |publisher=Variety |date=2022-11-01 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="aboutamazon">{{Cite web |title=Amazon Music expands its Prime benefit to offer a full catalog of music and new experiences for podcast lovers |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/amazon-music-amazon-prime-benefits |publisher=Amazon |author=Amazon Staff |date=2022 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="deadline">{{Cite web |title=Class-Action Suit Against Amazon For Putting Ads On Prime Video Dismissed By Federal Judge |url=https://deadline.com/2025/07/class-action-suit-against-amazon-ads-prime-video-dismissed-1236461429/ |publisher=Deadline |author=Dade Hayes |date=2025-07-17 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="khlaw">{{Cite web |title=Amazon to Pay Record $2.5 Billion to Settle FTC Claims of Deceptive Prime Membership Signup and Cancellation Practices |url=https://www.khlaw.com/insights/amazon-pay-record-25-billion-settle-ftc-claims-deceptive-prime-membership-signup-and |publisher=Keller and Heckman LLP |date=2025 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="dglaw">{{Cite web |title=An Amazonian-Sized Settlement: FTC Secures $2.5 Billion Against Amazon for Use of "Dark Patterns" In Prime Enrollment Scheme |url=https://www.dglaw.com/an-amazonian-sized-settlement-ftc-secures-2-5-billion-against-amazon-for-use-of-dark-patterns-in-prime-enrollment-scheme/ |publisher=Davis+Gilbert LLP |date=2025-10-01 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Amazon]]
[[Category:Subscription Services]]
[[Category:Service Degradation]]
[[Category:2026 incidents]]

Talk:Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026)

2026-06-03T17:54:32Z

Left4Code: /* Merging of Page & Collaboration (Maria128) */ new section

== Duplicated page ==

Should be merged with [[Amazon Prime Music Including Advertisements and Removing Downloads]] [[User:Linka|Linka]] ([[User talk:Linka|talk]]) 16:59, 3 June 2026 (UTC)

== Merging of Page & Collaboration (Maria128) ==

Hello Maria128,

I noticed that you have created a duplicate article with more content, I believe this would be a good opportunity for us to collaborate and make a single good article about the amazon prime music downgrade.

Unfortunately, I don't have much time to do this and will have to do so later, but when I get the chance I'll read through both our articles entirely and see what can be merged, for right now I will add the picture from my article to yours and add your article to the main amazon page. Once they are merged, I think it would be best to delete my article from the wiki.

Let me know what you think! [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 17:54, 3 June 2026 (UTC)

User:Left4Code

2026-06-02T21:52:25Z

Left4Code: times.

Will probably use this for volunteer experience on a resume. Think Louis would let me put him down as a reference? (Only half-joking)

My website is [https://left4code.neocities.org left4code.neocities.org] if you want to get in contact. My [https://left4code.neocities.org/left4code_gpg.txt email and PGP key] are there.

<s>hCaptcha is ruining my life.</s> I have been blessed by Lord Keith and saved from the hCaptcha nightmare, thank you!

Time spent editing so far (people like numbers, right?) {HH:MM:SS}: 32:06:00

Stats table (Shamelessly stolen from Beanie)

{| class="wikitable"
|+Contribution Scores
!Score
!Pages
!Changes
|-
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|score}}
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|pages}}
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|changes}}
|}

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T21:51:48Z

Left4Code: moving some things from background to incident, changing incident name, and adding remarks of OP from the reddit post. Now I think I'm done for a while. Bye!

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=Amazon
|Product=Amazon Prime Music
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Post-purchase terms change, Post-purchase performance reduction
|Description=In select countries starting July 2'nd 2026, Amazon Prime Music subscribers will now receive advertisements and have music downloads disabled.
}}'''Starting July 2, 2026''', in select countries such as '''India''' and '''potentially Australia'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon is about to add ads to Prime Music and it’s peak corporate greed |url=https://reddit.com/r/AmazonMusic/comments/1tugpxm/amazon_is_about_to_add_ads_to_prime_music_and_its |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602211218/https://www.reddit.com/r/AmazonMusic/comments/1tugpxm/amazon_is_about_to_add_ads_to_prime_music_and_its/?solution=a8ec18052798fb18a8ec18052798fb18&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec63d3704c106a658b29fd6b24551d63b6&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref>, the Amazon Prime Music Benefit will begin including advertisements, and no longer support the downloading of music where these features were previously available. To continue listening to unlimited music ad-free and be able to download music, [[Amazon]] has launched a new premium tier subscription called "'''Amazon Music Unlimited'''" which contains the revoked features.

==Background==
[[File:Amazon Prime Music Email Picture.jpg|alt=Amazon Prime Music Email Picture|thumb|Amazon Prime Music Email screenshot as received by users in India.]]
Amazon Prime users located in India received an email from the Amazon Music team stating that the Amazon Prime Music benefit will now include ads and no longer support downloads. This behavior is similar to the changes Amazon carried out when making changes to Amazon Prime Video by removing features from a subscription tier and adding them to another subscription tier at a higher price<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Video’s Ad Free subscription is now Prime Video Ultra for $4.99 a month |url=http://aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260505221059/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription |archive-date=2026-05-05 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Amazon News}}</ref>.
==Inclusion of Advertisements, Removal of Downloads==
The Amazon Staff team released a blog post stating the new changes to the subscription models for Amazon Music and how these new changes would affect Amazon Prime Music subscription holders going forward. Namely, Amazon will be now including "limited advertisements" and removing the customer's ability to download music. Amazon claims that these changes will evolve Amazon Music to:<blockquote>"give customers in India more choice in how they listen to their favorite music. The three tiers make it simple to find the right experience, whether that’s the most premium audio experience available with the new Amazon Music Unlimited, or a great on-demand catalogue included with Prime membership."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launches in India: Price, plans and how to get six months free |url=https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210853/https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=aboutamazon.in |publisher=Amazon Staff}}</ref> </blockquote>Additionally, Amazon is introducing the Amazon Music Free tier, this will now provide customers with the full audio catalogue with limited features and containing advertisements.

Finally, Amazon Prime Music subscribers are able to use Amazon Music Unlimited for free during a trial period of six-months immediately before they will be required to pay an additional subscription fee of ₹99 per month, with non-prime users able to do the same for a higher price of ₹119 per month after a three-month trial period.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Deepanker Verma |first=Deepanker |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Prime Members in India Will Soon Hear Ads on Amazon Music Unless They Pay Extra |url=https://techlomedia.in/2026/06/amazon-prime-members-in-india-will-soon-hear-ads-on-amazon-music-unless-they-pay-extra-124203/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602213538/https://techlomedia.in/2026/06/amazon-prime-members-in-india-will-soon-hear-ads-on-amazon-music-unless-they-pay-extra-124203/ |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Techlomedia}}</ref>

The following table lists the tier breakdown of the new subscription tiers and their pricing for Amazon Music users in India:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Amazon Music Subscription Tiered Breakdown
!TIER
!WHAT YOU GET
!PRICE
|-
|Amazon Music Unlimited
|100M+ songs on-demand, ad-free; HD, Ultra HD and Spatial Audio (incl. Dolby Atmos); offline downloads; top podcasts
|₹99/mo (Prime members); ₹119/mo (non-Prime)
|-
|Amazon Music for Prime members
|Full on-demand access to 100M+ songs and podcasts, with limited ads, without offline downloads—included with Prime at no extra cost
|Included with Prime
|-
|Amazon Music Free
| Full catalogue, ad-supported listening—coming soon
|Free
|}
As seen in the table, the differences between the "Amazon Music for Prime members" and the "Amazon Music Free" tiers have very limited differences between them despite the claims by Amazon that "The three tiers make it simple to find the right experience"<ref name=":0" />.

==Consumer response==
Many users on [[Reddit]] have voiced their displeasure with these new changes. One Reddit user commenting on the original post said the following: <blockquote>"It seems like every service is doing this lately. "We know you already pay for premium, but now there's ads and limitations, so you have to pay for PREMIUM PREMIUM to get rid of them". Then, in a few years, they'll have PREMIUM PREMIUM PREMIUM."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Amazon just informed me that my paid music subscription will soon include ads and lose downloads. |url=http://reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210652/https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/?solution=eb9d1abda4cbba64eb9d1abda4cbba64&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec7e6536fcd1b605f5f212ded1202aa75a&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref></blockquote>Additionally, the original poster said the following:<blockquote>"Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but paying for a subscription and then being told I need another subscription to keep the features I already had is getting a little ridiculous."<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>These comments highlight the larger general issue of companies removing previously available features for customers and forcing them to pay more money for continued use of their platform as it worked originally and the general trends of [[Enshittification]] among subscription services.

==References==
{{reflist}}

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T21:39:21Z

Left4Code: final changes for me. Louis I hope this helps you if you make a video about it, and I hope this helps anyone else who's affected. I may come back later to see if I can spruce things up a bit more. But for now I think it's in a good spot.

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=Amazon
|Product=Amazon Prime Music
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Post-purchase terms change, Post-purchase performance reduction
|Description=In select countries starting July 2'nd 2026, Amazon Prime Music subscribers will now receive advertisements and have music downloads disabled.
}}'''Starting July 2, 2026''', in select countries such as '''India''' and '''potentially Australia'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon is about to add ads to Prime Music and it’s peak corporate greed |url=https://reddit.com/r/AmazonMusic/comments/1tugpxm/amazon_is_about_to_add_ads_to_prime_music_and_its |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602211218/https://www.reddit.com/r/AmazonMusic/comments/1tugpxm/amazon_is_about_to_add_ads_to_prime_music_and_its/?solution=a8ec18052798fb18a8ec18052798fb18&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec63d3704c106a658b29fd6b24551d63b6&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref>, the Amazon Prime Music Benefit will begin including advertisements, and no longer support the downloading of music where these features were previously available. To continue listening to unlimited music ad-free and be able to download music, [[Amazon]] has launched a new premium tier subscription called "'''Amazon Music Unlimited'''" which contains the revoked features.

==Background==
[[File:Amazon Prime Music Email Picture.jpg|alt=Amazon Prime Music Email Picture|thumb|Amazon Prime Music Email screenshot as received by users in India.]]
Amazon Prime users located in India received an email from the Amazon Music team stating that the Amazon Prime Music benefit will now include ads and no longer support downloads. This behavior is similar to the changes Amazon carried out when making changes to Amazon Prime Video by removing features from a subscription tier and adding them to another subscription tier at a higher price<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Video’s Ad Free subscription is now Prime Video Ultra for $4.99 a month |url=http://aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260505221059/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription |archive-date=2026-05-05 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Amazon News}}</ref>. Amazon claims that this change will evolve Amazon Music to: <blockquote>"give customers in India more choice in how they listen to their favorite music. The three tiers make it simple to find the right experience, whether that’s the most premium audio experience available with the new Amazon Music Unlimited, or a great on-demand catalogue included with Prime membership."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launches in India: Price, plans and how to get six months free |url=https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210853/https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=aboutamazon.in |publisher=Amazon Staff}}</ref> </blockquote>Additionally, the Amazon Music Free tier will now provide customers with the full audio catalogue with limited features and containing advertisements.

Finally, Amazon Prime Music subscribers are able to use Amazon Music Unlimited for free during a trial period of six-months immediately before they will be required to pay an additional subscription fee of ₹99 per month, with non-prime users able to do the same for a higher price of ₹119 per month after a three-month trial.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Deepanker Verma |first=Deepanker |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Prime Members in India Will Soon Hear Ads on Amazon Music Unless They Pay Extra |url=https://techlomedia.in/2026/06/amazon-prime-members-in-india-will-soon-hear-ads-on-amazon-music-unless-they-pay-extra-124203/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602213538/https://techlomedia.in/2026/06/amazon-prime-members-in-india-will-soon-hear-ads-on-amazon-music-unless-they-pay-extra-124203/ |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Techlomedia}}</ref>

==[Incident]==
The following is the tier breakdown of the new subscription tiers and their pricing for Amazon Music users in India:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Amazon Music Subscription Tiered Breakdown
!TIER
!WHAT YOU GET
!PRICE
|-
|Amazon Music Unlimited
|100M+ songs on-demand, ad-free; HD, Ultra HD and Spatial Audio (incl. Dolby Atmos); offline downloads; top podcasts
|₹99/mo (Prime members); ₹119/mo (non-Prime)
|-
|Amazon Music for Prime members
|Full on-demand access to 100M+ songs and podcasts, with limited ads, without offline downloads—included with Prime at no extra cost
|Included with Prime
|-
|Amazon Music Free
| Full catalogue, ad-supported listening—coming soon
|Free
|}
As seen in the table, the differences between the "Amazon Music for Prime members" and the "Amazon Music Free" tiers have very limited differences between them despite the claims by Amazon that "The three tiers make it simple to find the right experience"<ref name=":0" />.

==Consumer response==
Many users on [[Reddit]] have voiced their displeasure with these new changes. One Reddit user said the following: <blockquote>"It seems like every service is doing this lately. "We know you already pay for premium, but now there's ads and limitations, so you have to pay for PREMIUM PREMIUM to get rid of them". Then, in a few years, they'll have PREMIUM PREMIUM PREMIUM."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon just informed me that my paid music subscription will soon include ads and lose downloads. |url=http://reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210652/https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/?solution=eb9d1abda4cbba64eb9d1abda4cbba64&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec7e6536fcd1b605f5f212ded1202aa75a&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref></blockquote>This comment highlights the larger general issue of tech companies removing previously available features for customers and forcing them to pay more money for continued use of their platform as it worked originally and the general trends of [[Enshittification]] among subscription services.

==References==
{{reflist}}

File:Amazon Prime Music email screenshot.jpg

2026-06-02T21:22:05Z

Left4Code:

A Screenshot of the Amazon Prime Music email received by users in India.

Talk:Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T21:19:18Z

Left4Code: /* Title for this page may not be completely accurate in the future. */ new section

== Title for this page may not be completely accurate in the future. ==

This is a notice to the mods and future CRW editors of this article, the title may not be 100% accurate at the moment, currently according to https://www.androidauthority.com/amazon-music-prime-ads-3673452/, this is only happening in India and according to a single reddit comment, potentially Australia, I've left the title broad in case Amazon wants to expand their ground on this and sweep more countries into this and change their subscriptions too.

change the title if you think it's relevant. let's hope it stops at India.

L4C. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 21:19, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T21:16:26Z

Left4Code: changed in text update to comment

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=Amazon
|Product=Amazon Prime Music
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Post-purchase terms change, Post-purchase performance reduction
|Description=In select countries starting July 2'nd 2026, Amazon Prime Music subscribers will now receive advertisements and have music downloads disabled.
}}'''Starting July 2, 2026''', in select countries such as '''India''' and '''potentially Australia'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon is about to add ads to Prime Music and it’s peak corporate greed |url=https://reddit.com/r/AmazonMusic/comments/1tugpxm/amazon_is_about_to_add_ads_to_prime_music_and_its |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602211218/https://www.reddit.com/r/AmazonMusic/comments/1tugpxm/amazon_is_about_to_add_ads_to_prime_music_and_its/?solution=a8ec18052798fb18a8ec18052798fb18&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec63d3704c106a658b29fd6b24551d63b6&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref>, the Amazon Prime Music Benefit will begin including advertisements, and no longer support the downloading of music where these features were previously available. To continue listening to unlimited music ad-free and be able to download music, [[Amazon]] has launched a new premium tier subscription called "'''Amazon Music Unlimited'''" which has the removed features.

==Background==
Amazon Prime users located in India received an email from the Amazon Music team stating that the Amazon Prime Music benefit will now include ads and no longer support downloads. This behavior is similar to the changes Amazon carried out when making changes to Amazon Prime Video by removing features from a subscription tier and adding them to another subscription tier at a higher price<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Video’s Ad Free subscription is now Prime Video Ultra for $4.99 a month |url=http://aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260505221059/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription |archive-date=2026-05-05 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Amazon News}}</ref>. Amazon claims that this change will evolve Amazon Music to: <blockquote>"give customers in India more choice in how they listen to their favorite music. The three tiers make it simple to find the right experience, whether that’s the most premium audio experience available with the new Amazon Music Unlimited, or a great on-demand catalogue included with Prime membership."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launches in India: Price, plans and how to get six months free |url=https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210853/https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=aboutamazon.in |publisher=Amazon Staff}}</ref> </blockquote>Finally, the Amazon Music Free tier will now provide customers with the full audio catalogue with limited features and containing advertisements.

==[Incident]==
The following is the tier breakdown of the new subscription tiers and their pricing for Amazon Music users in India:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!TIER
!WHAT YOU GET
!PRICE
|-
|Amazon Music Unlimited
|100M+ songs on-demand, ad-free; HD, Ultra HD and Spatial Audio (incl. Dolby Atmos); offline downloads; top podcasts
|₹99/mo (Prime members); ₹119/mo (non-Prime)
|-
|Amazon Music for Prime members
|Full on-demand access to 100M+ songs and podcasts, with limited ads, without offline downloads—included with Prime at no extra cost
|Included with Prime
|-
|Amazon Music Free
| Full catalogue, ad-supported listening—coming soon
|Free
|}

==Consumer response==
Many users on [[Reddit]] have voiced their displeasure with these new changes. One Reddit user said the following: <blockquote>"It seems like every service is doing this lately. "We know you already pay for premium, but now there's ads and limitations, so you have to pay for PREMIUM PREMIUM to get rid of them". Then, in a few years, they'll have PREMIUM PREMIUM PREMIUM."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon just informed me that my paid music subscription will soon include ads and lose downloads. |url=http://reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210652/https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/?solution=eb9d1abda4cbba64eb9d1abda4cbba64&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec7e6536fcd1b605f5f212ded1202aa75a&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref></blockquote>This comment highlights the larger general issue of tech companies removing previously available features and forcing their user-base to pay for them in order to continue using their platform and the general trends of [[Enshittification]] among subscription services.

==References==
{{reflist}}

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T21:15:06Z

Left4Code: consumer response and some sourcing, then I'm going to get the pictures up.

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Amazon
|StartDate=2026-06-02
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=Amazon
|Product=Amazon Prime Music
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Post-purchase terms change, Post-purchase performance reduction
|Description=In select countries starting July 2'nd 2026, Amazon Prime Music subscribers will now receive advertisements and have music downloads disabled.
}}'''Starting July 2, 2026''', in select countries such as '''India''' and '''potentially Australia'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon is about to add ads to Prime Music and it’s peak corporate greed |url=https://reddit.com/r/AmazonMusic/comments/1tugpxm/amazon_is_about_to_add_ads_to_prime_music_and_its |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602211218/https://www.reddit.com/r/AmazonMusic/comments/1tugpxm/amazon_is_about_to_add_ads_to_prime_music_and_its/?solution=a8ec18052798fb18a8ec18052798fb18&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec63d3704c106a658b29fd6b24551d63b6&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref>(<-- UPDATE AS NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE MADE), the Amazon Prime Music Benefit will begin including advertisements, and no longer support the downloading of music where these features were previously available. To continue listening to unlimited music ad-free and be able to download music, [[Amazon]] has launched a new premium tier subscription called "'''Amazon Music Unlimited'''" which has the removed features.

==Background==
Amazon Prime users located in India received an email from the Amazon Music team stating that the Amazon Prime Music benefit will now include ads and no longer support downloads. This behavior is similar to the changes Amazon carried out when making changes to Amazon Prime Video by removing features from a subscription tier and adding them to another subscription tier at a higher price<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Video’s Ad Free subscription is now Prime Video Ultra for $4.99 a month |url=http://aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260505221059/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription |archive-date=2026-05-05 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Amazon News}}</ref>. Amazon claims that this change will evolve Amazon Music to: <blockquote>"give customers in India more choice in how they listen to their favorite music. The three tiers make it simple to find the right experience, whether that’s the most premium audio experience available with the new Amazon Music Unlimited, or a great on-demand catalogue included with Prime membership."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-06-02 |title=Amazon Music Unlimited launches in India: Price, plans and how to get six months free |url=https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210853/https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/amazon-music-unlimited-india-price-plans |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=aboutamazon.in |publisher=Amazon Staff}}</ref> </blockquote>Finally, the Amazon Music Free tier will now provide customers with the full audio catalogue with limited features and containing advertisements.

==[Incident]==
The following is the tier breakdown of the new subscription tiers and their pricing for Amazon Music users in India:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!TIER
!WHAT YOU GET
!PRICE
|-
|Amazon Music Unlimited
|100M+ songs on-demand, ad-free; HD, Ultra HD and Spatial Audio (incl. Dolby Atmos); offline downloads; top podcasts
|₹99/mo (Prime members); ₹119/mo (non-Prime)
|-
|Amazon Music for Prime members
|Full on-demand access to 100M+ songs and podcasts, with limited ads, without offline downloads—included with Prime at no extra cost
|Included with Prime
|-
|Amazon Music Free
| Full catalogue, ad-supported listening—coming soon
|Free
|}

==Consumer response==
Many users on [[Reddit]] have voiced their displeasure with these new changes. One Reddit user said the following: <blockquote>"It seems like every service is doing this lately. "We know you already pay for premium, but now there's ads and limitations, so you have to pay for PREMIUM PREMIUM to get rid of them". Then, in a few years, they'll have PREMIUM PREMIUM PREMIUM."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon just informed me that my paid music subscription will soon include ads and lose downloads. |url=http://reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602210652/https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1tur3w5/amazon_just_informed_me_that_my_paid_music/?solution=eb9d1abda4cbba64eb9d1abda4cbba64&js_challenge=1&token=7afd7253fec22262ff1c52b1703fe9ec7e6536fcd1b605f5f212ded1202aa75a&jsc_orig_r= |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-02 |website=Reddit}}</ref></blockquote>This comment highlights the larger general issue of tech companies removing previously available features and forcing their user-base to pay for them in order to continue using their platform and the general trends of [[Enshittification]] among subscription services.

==References==
{{reflist}}

Amazon

2026-06-02T20:54:50Z

Left4Code: Added new Amazon incident. (remove if not necessary.)

{{CompanyCargo
| Founded = 1994
| Industry = Technology
| Logo = Amazon.svg
| ParentCompany =
| Type = Public
| Website = https://amazon.com/
| Description = Major e-commerce platform which has allowed fraudulent listings, removed functionality and purchased products from Kindle devices, and more.
}}

'''{{Wplink|Amazon (company)|Amazon.com, Inc.}}''' is a global leader in e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos. Originally launched as an online bookstore, Amazon quickly expanded into a marketplace offering a wide range of products, including - but not limited to - electronics, clothing, household goods, and groceries. Today, it is one of the largest companies in the world, with a dominant presence in retail, technology, and logistics.

In addition to its e-commerce platform, Amazon is a major player in cloud computing through Amazon Web Services (AWS), which provides cloud infrastructure and services to businesses globally. The company also offers a variety of digital services, such as Amazon Prime - which provides streaming video and music - and Alexa; its voice-activated virtual assistant. Amazon has also developed consumer products like the Kindle e-reader, Fire tablets, and Echo smart speakers.

Amazon has faced significant scrutiny and criticism, particularly concerning its treatment of workers, marketplace practices, data privacy issues, and its impact on small businesses. It has been involved in various regulatory and legal challenges related to anti-competitive behavior, safety, and consumer protection, with calls for increased oversight on its business operations.

==Consumer impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}
====Business model====
Amazon gets a majority of its revenue from seller fees and Amazon Prime memberships. In addition, Amazon has a "subscribe and save" option for some products. With this, the page to manage these subscriptions is obfuscated for the user, intentional or not.

<gallery>
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 1.jpg|No "subscribe and save" option available.
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 2.jpg|The option appears in the "buy again" section.
File:Amazon subscribe and save example 3.jpg
</gallery>

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this company. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:Amazon|Amazon category]].
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background info
!Aftermath
!Related article
!Related video(s)
|-
|Amazon Prime Music Including Advertisements and Removing Downloads
|2026
|Amazon announced that In select countries such as '''India''', the Amazon Prime Music subscription will now contain Advertisements remove download functionality for users.
|Ongoing.
|[[Amazon Prime Music Including Advertisements and Removing Downloads]]
|N/A
|-
|Amazon ends support for older Kindle devices.
|2026
|In early April 2026, a Reddit user posted about an email announcement from Amazon saying their device would not be able to download new content after May 20th, 2026.
|Starting May 20th, 2026, Amazon will end support for for Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets released before 2013. Although users will still be able to read existing books on their devices, they will no longer be able to download new content to the device.
|https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-amazon-ends-support-older-kindles-2026/
|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtk7ERwlIAk&t=246s
|-
|Amazon increases the price to not see ads
|2026
|"...on April 10, 2026, Prime Video Ad Free will become Prime Video Ultra with enhanced viewing features, and your subscription price will increase by $4.99/month.
... From 04-14-2026, your subscription will automatically renew at $4.99/month, unless you cancel."
|The price to not see ads in Prime Video will be increased. The users are notified by email that the subscription price is increased automatically unless extra action is taken.
|http://aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/prime-video-ultra-ad-free-streaming-subscription
|
|-
|Amazon removing kindle books from old devices.
|2025
|As of May 26, 2025 Kindle for Android app versions released prior to March 2022 (v8.51 or earlier) no longer support Kindle content downloads.
|Old android devices (such as Galaxy Tab 4) that are not compatible with Android OS v.9.0+ are no longer able to download Kindle ebooks. Furthermore, Amazon 'forcibly' removed any ebooks downloaded to the kindle app on those devices the next time they connected to the internet, without warning that this would occur.
|https://www.androidauthority.com/kindle-app-drm-loophole-3554844/
|
|-
|Amazon removing ability to download Kindle books
|2025
|Starting on February 26, 2025, Amazon removed a feature from its website allowing users to download purchased books to a computer and then copy them manually to a Kindle over USB.
|Starting February 26, 2025, the ‘Download & Transfer via USB’ option will no longer be available.
|[[Amazon Kindle removes download feature of purchased books]]
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMoCzeGnIss '''Amazon are changing the way you own your Kindle books - you have 10 days to react''']
<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon revokes the concept of owning books, can edit books you already bought; PIRACY IS THE ANSWER! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XfcoUdWCB9M |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=XfcoUdWCB9M |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon Fresh/Go Stores
(Convenience & Grocery Brick and Mortar Stores)
|2024
|Revealed in 2024, Amazon's convenience stores powered by "AI" is really just human contractors from India watching people shop.
|
|[https://futurism.com/the-byte/amazon-abandons-ai-stores Amazon Abandons Grocery Stores Where You Just Walk Out With Stuff After It Turns Out Its “AI” Was Powered by 1,000 Human Contractors]
|
|-
|Amazon sells lethal litterboxes
|2024
|Amazon sold knockoffs of Whisker brand "Litter-Robot" litterboxes that were designed in a unsafe way that led to the deaths of multiple cats, and posed a danger to young children.
|The responsible knockoff product was delisted, yet many other variants of the same product exist on the site.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=10 Sep 2024 |title=Amazon litterbox fatally harms cat; this is the sad end result of what I've talked about all year :( |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=p6Y19nSPvC4 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=p6Y19nSPvC4 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon adds ads to premium subscription
|2023 – Present
|Amazon added advertisements to previously ad free subscriptions for Prime Video and Echo Show frames.
|Continues to occur.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=26 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon charges extra to avoid ads, says "lol jk" & adds them anyway |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=RSi6g5-xUaY |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=RSi6g5-xUaY |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2 May 2024 |title=Amazon Hikes Profits by Forcing Ads on PAID Prime Subscribers |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=ua_QL9YysHQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=ua_QL9YysHQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=28 Dec 2023 |title=Ads on Amazon Prime Video: Paying More for Less? 😒 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=VLFpU9aqtXc |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=VLFpU9aqtXc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon allows fraudulent listings
|2014 – Present
|
|Fraudulent listings continue to be added, some removed.
|[[Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review! Deep dive on Amazon's support of scams |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=qZCMislL6_I |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=qZCMislL6_I |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=14 Jan 2024 |title=Amazon's Reckless Bet: Hazardous Items Unfazed by Viral Scare |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=7trdHLtsFKM |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=7trdHLtsFKM |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=30 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Fake Electrical Fuses |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=21 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon's Illusion of Quality: How Dangerous Products Get Top Ratings! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=DiKflg8Uko4 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=DiKflg8Uko4 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=16 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Dangerous Electrical Crimps |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=y83BS_mK9GE |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=y83BS_mK9GE |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Aug 2023 |title=Amazon sells EOL devices as new after banning independents for quality control 🤣 |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rhb0ID9z4aE |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=Rhb0ID9z4aE |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=24 Feb 2022 |title=Amazon has a credibility problem brewing |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XZNn2mO3dNQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=XZNn2mO3dNQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=24 Apr 2014 |title=Group Vertical eBay/Amazon Macbook screens are garbage; see for yourself! |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=C0YNLWdj9sQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=C0YNLWdj9sQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon allows sellers to bribe customers for better ratings
|2016 – Present
|Amazon sellers give customers gift cards in exchange for positive product reviews; Amazon does nothing to stop this.
|Continues to occur.
|[[Amazon's history of seller bribery]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=16 Jul 2024 |title=Amazon sellers bribe customers for good reviews; Amazon does nothing |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=eS698R-bxuc |website=Youtube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=eS698R-bxuc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon has bad marketplace algorithms
|2023 – Present
|
|Algorithms still seem to be nonbeneficial.
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=4 Jan 2024 |title=Beyond Algorithms: Why Amazon's Automated Systems Fail Sellers & Customers |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=tAaSXz8CBMc |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=tAaSXz8CBMc |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon trashes refurbished market
|2022 – 2023
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Jul 2023 |title=Apple & Amazon pay a fine for trashing the refurbished market |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=h3qgbvq2SWs |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=h3qgbvq2SWs |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=8 Sep 2022 |title=eBay follows amazon's lead, consolidating & destroying the refurbished marketplace |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=qzUXmeaZsIQ |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=qzUXmeaZsIQ |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon cancels associate account after recent negative media coverage, with a different reason
|2023
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=22 Jun 2023 |title=Amazon cancelled my account after exposing their wrongful lockout of a paying customer |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kcohq313q00 |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=Kcohq313q00 |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon wrongfully suspends account of home owner
|2023
|A home owner was locked out of their Amazon account for nearly a week, after a delivery driver from Amazon misheard an automated message from their Eufy doorbell.
|Account reinstated.
|[[Amazon locks home owner out of Amazon account over allegation by Amazon delivery driver|Amazon locks home owner out of amazon account over allegation by amazon delivery driver]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Jun 2023 |title=Man locked out of amazon account over his doorbell gets account back, but no apology |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=SyEgD-5GK9c |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=SyEgD-5GK9c |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=12 Jun 2023 |title=Amazon accuses customer of racism & shuts down their smart home - enough cloud junk |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=NfiIXooD77s |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=NfiIXooD77s |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon engages in anticompetitive behavior
|2021 – 2022
|
|Unknown
|
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=18 Sep 2022 |title=Amazon forces sellers to keep prices high on other platforms |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=YBJoSGWdP0Y |website=Youtube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=YBJoSGWdP0Y |archive-date=21 Nov 2025}}</ref> <ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=15 Feb 2026 |title=Amazon copying products/rigging search results |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=XCLx4mVJ4gk |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=XCLx4mVJ4gk |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon sells fake electrical fuses
|2023 – Present
|Fuses are being sold that do not blow when supplied more power than it is intended to handle, which is a major safety risk.
|These fuses are still being sold to this day.
|[[Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review! Deep dive on Amazons support of scams]]
|<ref group="Video References">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=30 Dec 2023 |title=Amazon Sells Fake Electrical Fuses |url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |url-status=live |website=Youtube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=B90_SNNbcoU |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Amazon PhotosPlus discontinuation
|2024
|
|Since September 2024, it is no longer possible to use the Amazon Echo Show 8 as a digital frame without advertisements.
|[[Amazon PhotosPlus discontinuation]]
|
|-
|Amazon uses [[dark patterns]] for its premium subscription
|2023 – Present
|Systematically designing the cancelling steps to be complicated and long; using tricks to enroll users into the subscription.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=FTC Takes Action Against Amazon for Enrolling Consumers in Amazon Prime Without Consent and Sabotaging Their Attempts to Cancel |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129015417/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/06/ftc-takes-action-against-amazon-enrolling-consumers-amazon-prime-without-consent-sabotaging-their |archive-date=2025-01-29 |website=[[Federal Trade Commission]]}}</ref> See "Project Illiad".
|Continues to occur.
|
|
|-
|Amazon removes option to lend Kindle e-books
|2022
|E-books marked with "lending enabled" could be lent to other Kindle users for a period of time during which the title is unavailable to the sender.
|Since August 2022, it is not possible to borrow Kindle books.
|
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAvFmnuZZMI '''Amazon Discontinues Lending Kindle e-Books''']
|-
|Amazon removes option not to send voice recordings from Echo devices
|2025
|In March 2025, Echo customers with the option "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" enabled received an e-mail that local processing will no longer be supported on their device.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=TechLinked – Microsoft’s Big Oopsie – Echo voice recordings, Gemini watermarks |url=https://youtu.be/DhXH83O6pXc?t=268 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=DhXH83O6pXc |archive-date=2025-03-18 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=YouTube – TechLinked}}</ref>
|
|[[Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage]]
|
|-
|Amazon discontinues Appstore for Android devices
|2025
|On August 20, 2025, Amazon will remove Android devices' access to the Amazon Appstore.
|Android apps downloaded through the Amazon Appstore will cease to function.
|[[Amazon revokes access to their Appstore on non-Amazon devices|Amazon pulls the plug on its Android app store that you never used anyway]]
|
|-
|Amazon removes kindle books from user libraries.
|2009
|In 2009, Amazon removed 2 illegally published books, Animal Farm and 1984, from sale and user libraries, along with any notes and annotations made by the reader. Others have also reported missing books from their libraries.
|Those affected have been given refunds and there haven't been any further documented cases of books being removed from readers' libraries, although user reports are still prevalent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=A |first=Georgie |date=13 Nov 2022 |title=Bought books removed by Amazon. |url=https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000ALx14HSQR/bought-books-removed-by-amazon |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250813120836/https://www.amazonforum.com/s/question/0D56Q0000ALx14HSQR/bought-books-removed-by-amazon |archive-date=13 Aug 2025|access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Amazon}}</ref>
|[https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18amazon.html Amazon Erases Orwell Books From Kindle]
|
|-
|Amazon purposely delays assisting customers with lost packages
|2025
|Amazon has been found delaying assistance to customers who contact customer service to report issues with a order (i.e., a missing package). Amazon states they are unable to take any action until a certain date, delaying the resolution process further in hopes the customer will not contact them again to request a refund.
|Unknown
|
|
|-
|Amazon adds ads on the lockscreen's of Amazon Fire Tablets & Amazon Kindle
|2012 - Present
|Amazon shows ads on both the Kindle & Fire Tablets lockscreen's to get money out of your purchases makes you pay a fee to remove them. This only applies to the cheaper models.
|This practice still occurs, but is very easy to remove through a quick search.
|[https://xdaforums.com/t/windows-linux-tool-fire-toolbox-v42-1.3889604/ Fire Toolbox]
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=T70xcAGUDQ4cR5PwPR Learn More About Ads On Kindle Fire and Fire Tablet - Amazon]
|
|-
|Amazon ends support for Fire TV Blaster's making them unusable
|2026
|Amazon ends support for the Fire TV Blaster on January 31, 2026
|
|[https://www.heise.de/en/news/Amazon-makes-Fire-TV-Blaster-unusable-11145570.html Amazon makes Fire TV Blaster's unusable]
|
|-
|Amazon cancels order, and requiring age verification to reorder
|2026
|
|
|
|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKDpMel08LM
|-
|Amazon Luna removes access to purchased games, offers no refunds
|2026
|Starting April 10, 2026, Amazon Luna ceased offering individual game purchases and third-party subscriptions (EA, Ubisoft+, GOG, Jackbox). The "Bring Your Own Library" feature, allowing users to stream games from linked accounts on Luna, was also removed.
|Purchased games remain '''playable via streaming only until June 10, 2026, after which they become inaccessible on Luna'''. Amazon explicitly stated it will not offer refunds for a-la-carte game purchases, contrasting with Google's full-refund policy when it shut down Stadia. Amazon offered Luna Premium subscriptions only to "qualifying" users.
|[https://www.theverge.com/tech/910025/amazon-luna-third-party-games-subscriptions Amazon Luna axes third Party game purchases]
[https://kotaku.com/amazons-luna-service-removing-access-to-purchased-games-and-is-offering-no-refunds-2000686688 Amazon's Game streaming service removing access to Purchased Games And Offering no refunds]

[https://alternativeto.net/news/2026/4/amazon-luna-is-slowly-starting-to-die-killing-game-purchases-and-third-party-subscriptions/ Amazon Luna in its demise is slowly killing game purchases]

[https://www.siliconera.com/amazon-luna-purchased-games-will-be-unplayable-after-june-2026/ Amazon Luna purchased games will be unplayable After June 2026]
|
|}

==Products==
===Amazon Prime (''2005–Present'')===
Amazon uses [[dark patterns]] for its subscription services, including tricking users into subscribing and making it very complicated to cancel. Moreover, some features of the service, such as free deliveries, are region locked to where you initially subscribed, forcing you to buy another subscription to be able to use the service.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mabood |first=Wasay |date=2023-02-22 |title=Geo-block Content Using Amazon Location and Edge Services |url=https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/networking-and-content-delivery/geo-block-content-using-amazon-location-and-edge-services/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415190723/https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/networking-and-content-delivery/geo-block-content-using-amazon-location-and-edge-services/ |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=[[Amazon Web Services (AWS)]]}}</ref>

Prime video further only allows for HD streaming on Windows and MacOS, despite streaming services such as Netflix allowing HD streaming on Linux <ref>{{Cite web |title=Prime Video System Requirements for Computers |url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=atv_unsupported_systems_bannerlink?nodeId=GUVGB3QMQRYRERYW |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260214133717/https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GUVGB3QMQRYRERYW |archive-date=2026-02-14}}</ref>.

===Amazon Kindle (''2007–Present'')===
Amazon has progressively removed options for products purchased through the Kindle, effectively changing the meaning of purchases and ownership. It first removed the ability of users to lend e-books to one another, and later removed the ability to download purchased e-books to a computer.

===Amazon Appstore (''2011–Present'')===
Amazon Appstore is the primary app store for Amazon's Fire devices, and is also available on other Android devices. On August 20, 2025, Amazon has removed access to the app store for all non-Fire devices. Apps installed on non-Fire devices from the Amazon Appstore have ceased to function but Fire devices are still to be able to access the Amazon Appstore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Doffman |first=Zak |date=17 Aug 2025 |title=Amazon’s App Store Deadline—Stop Using Your Apps In 48 Hours |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/08/17/amazons-app-store-decision-48-hours-to-delete-your-apps/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251122155445/https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/08/17/amazons-app-store-decision-48-hours-to-delete-your-apps/ |archive-date=22 Nov 2025|access-date=30 Nov 2025 |website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravi |first=Nandika |date=20 Feb 2025 |title=Amazon will suspend support for its Appstore on Android |url=https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/amazon-will-suspend-support-for-its-appstore-on-android |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222204353/https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/amazon-will-suspend-support-for-its-appstore-on-android |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|access-date=30 Nov 2025 |website=Android Central}}</ref> There was no restitution for non-Fire users who may have purchased paid apps through the Amazon Appstore.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amazon Appstore on Android has been discontinued. |url=https://www.amazon.com/b?node=210942225011 |url-status=live |website=Amazon}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maruccia |first=Alfonso |date=2025-02-21 |title=Amazon pulls the plug on its Android app store after 14 years |url=https://www.techspot.com/news/106872-amazon-appstore-android-discontinued-summer.html |url-status=live |website=TECHSPOT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Powel |first=James |date=2025-08-17 |title=The Amazon Appstore shuts down on Androids Aug. 20. Will you get a refund? |url=https://www.aol.com/amazon-appstore-shuts-down-androids-212404113.html |url-status=live |website=AOL / USA Today}}</ref>

===Amazon Alexa (''2013–Present'')===
On July 1st 2024, Amazon removed third-party list support from the Alexa service, resulting in only lists hosted by Amazon being supported<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=2025-09-16 |title=Deprecated Features |website=Amazon Developer Documentation |url=https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/ask-overviews/deprecated-features.html#shopping-lists |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522134122/https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/ask-overviews/deprecated-features.html#shopping-lists |archive-date=2025-05-22 }}</ref>. While it is still possible to manage lists via Alexa skills, these now require the skill activation phrase to be used (e.g. "Alexa, ask AnyList to add XYZ to my shopping list"). This followed from a [[Google#Google Assistant 3rd Party List Support|similar move by Google]] in 2023.

Sometime in 2025 Amazon added an upgrade nag widget to Alexa for "Alexa+" that is impossible to turn off. In some cases the upgrade was automatic, and users had to opt-out<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campbell-Hicks |first=Jennifer |date=2026-01-13 |title=Amazon is automatically upgrading Prime members to Alexa+. Here's how to opt out |url=https://www.12news.com/article/news/nation-world/amazon-automatic-upgrade-alexa-plus-how-to-opt-out/507-3105c319-0f52-421a-b741-9ad6919f22e5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/eAbrI |archive-date=2026-04-15 |website=[[12news]]}}</ref>

===Amazon Echo (''2014–Present'')===

===Amazon Luna (''2020—2026'')===
Amazon Luna is Amazon's cloud gaming service, launched in 2020 as a competitor to Xbox Cloud Gaming and Google Stadia. In April 2026, Amazon abruptly ended support for individual game purchases and third-party storefronts including EA, GOG, and Ubisoft, stripping the platform of its "own your games" model. Previously purchased games will be rendered unplayable via Luna as of June 10, 2026, with no refunds offered. Save-game data can be downloaded until September 8th, 2026.

Amazon is switching to a subscription model called Luna Premium, which does not allow purchases of individual video games.

Support article: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=TY9Z4zZ7vgVwLA0b7C

===Amazon PhotosPlus (''2023–2024'')===
Amazon sold physical devices that could displaying photos stored in its Amazon Photos cloud storage through its PhotosPlus service. Less than one year later, it cancelled the service, which [[Retroactively amended purchase|changed the functionality]] of the devices, including showing advertisements every few hours.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=21 Aug 2024 |title=Amazon cancels the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition’s main feature — focusing on photos |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/21/24225149/amazon-end-photosplus-subscription-echo-show-8-photos-edition |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251216124644/https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/21/24225149/amazon-end-photosplus-subscription-echo-show-8-photos-edition |archive-date=16 Dec 2025|access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>

===All Louis Rossmann videos covering Amazon===
<references group="Video References" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T20:48:33Z

Left4Code: added the table and tried to fix other errors grammar and spelling.

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T20:32:56Z

Left4Code: getting there with the background, added beginning.

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T20:28:17Z

Left4Code: little better

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T20:24:30Z

Left4Code: here we go... (Added summary to the best of what I know)

Amazon Prime Music including advertisements and removing downloads

2026-06-02T20:17:44Z

Left4Code: In select countries starting July 2'nd 2026, Amazon Prime Music subscribers will now receive advertisements and have music downloads disabled.

User:Left4Code

2026-05-03T04:06:38Z

Left4Code: updated time

Will probably use this for volunteer experience on a resume. Think Louis would let me put him down as a reference? (Only half-joking)

My website is [https://left4code.neocities.org left4code.neocities.org] if you want to get in contact. My [https://left4code.neocities.org/left4code_gpg.txt email and PGP key] are there.

<s>hCaptcha is ruining my life.</s> I have been blessed by Lord Keith and saved from the hCaptcha nightmare, thank you!

Time spent editing so far (people like numbers, right?) {HH:MM:SS}: 31:04:00

Stats table (Shamelessly stolen from Beanie)

{| class="wikitable"
|+Contribution Scores
!Score
!Pages
!Changes
|-
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|score}}
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|pages}}
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|changes}}
|}

Alien Rides

2026-05-03T03:44:50Z

Left4Code: /* References */ This commit introduces a PoC for a new archive label. "archive-blocked". See more of an explanation here: https://consumerrights.wiki/w/User_talk:Sojourna#c-Left4Code-20260503034400-Left4Code-20260503033300 Revert if this is a horrible idea.

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2021
|Industry=Electric vehicles,Retail
|Logo=Alien Rides.png
|ParentCompany=
|CompanyAlias=Alien Technology Group Inc,AlienRides
|Type=Private
|Website=https://alienrides.com/
|Description=Co-filed ITC complaint to ban all major EUC brands from the US unless manufacturers pay patent licensing fees
}}

'''Alien Rides''' (legally Alien Technology Group, Inc.) is a personal electric vehicle retailer and repair shop in San Francisco, California. In January 2026, the company co-filed a complaint with the [[U.S. International Trade Commission]] seeking to ban imports of electric unicycles from five major Chinese manufacturers, using two patents held by its partner [[Inventist|Inventist, Inc.]]<ref name="frreceipt">{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2026 |title=Notice of Receipt of Complaint; Solicitation of Comments Relating to the Public Interest |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/26/2026-01333/notice-of-receipt-of-complaint-solicitation-of-comments-relating-to-the-public-interest |url-status=archive-blocked (captcha:unknown) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260503031859/https://unblock.federalregister.gov/ |archive-date=2026-05-03 |access-date=2026-03-26 |work=Federal Register |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |volume=91}}</ref> The ITC instituted Investigation No. 337-TA-1488 on March 2, 2026.<ref name="usitc">{{Cite web |last=Huber |first=Claire |date=March 2, 2026 |title=USITC Institutes Section 337 Investigation of Certain Gyro-Stabilized Electric Unicycles and Components Thereof |url=https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2026/er0302_68229.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260503032158/https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2026/er0302_68229.htm |archive-date=2026-05-03 |access-date=2026-03-26 |work=United States International Trade Commission}}</ref>

==Consumer-impact summary==

*Co-complainant with Inventist in an ITC [[Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930|Section 337]] case seeking a general exclusion order that would block electric unicycles from five manufacturers at the U.S. border<ref name="institution">{{Cite web |date=March 5, 2026 |title=Certain Gyro-Stabilized Electric Unicycles and Components Thereof and Products Containing the Same; Institution of Investigation |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/05/2026-04347/certain-gyro-stabilized-electric-unicycles-and-components-thereof-and-products-containing-the-same |url-status=archive-blocked (captcha:unknown) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260503031859/https://unblock.federalregister.gov/ |archive-date=2026-05-03 |access-date=2026-03-26 |work=Federal Register |publisher=U.S. Government Publishing Office |volume=91}}</ref>
*Named respondents (LeaperKim, BEGODE, Inmotion, Kingsong, Nosfet) account for nearly all high-performance EUC models available in the United States<ref name="eridecorner">{{Cite web |last=Mwaniki |first=Amos |date=January 29, 2026 |title=Shocking Scandal: Alien Rides Accused of Patent Scheme to Block EUC Imports and Crush Competition! |url=https://www.eridecorner.com/shocking-scandal-alien-rides-accused-of-patent-scheme-to-block-euc-imports-and-crush-competition/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260216182036/https://www.eridecorner.com/shocking-scandal-alien-rides-accused-of-patent-scheme-to-block-euc-imports-and-crush-competition/ |archive-date=2026-02-16 |access-date=2026-03-26 |work=Eride Corner}}</ref>
*EUC community organized a boycott of Alien Rides after the filing became public<ref name="euf">{{Cite web |last=WheelGoodTime |date=January 28, 2026 |title=URGENT: Imminent Death Threat of the Entire EUC Industry |url=https://forum.electricunicycle.org/topic/41390-urgent-imminent-death-threat-of-the-entire-euc-industry/ |url-status=archive-blocked (captcha:cloudflare) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260503033006/https://forum.electricunicycle.org/topic/41390-urgent-imminent-death-threat-of-the-entire-euc-industry/ |archive-date=2026-05-03 |access-date=2026-03-26 |work=Electric Unicycle Forum}}</ref>

==Incidents==

===Anti-competitive tendencies (''2026'')===
{{Main|AlienRides LLC tries and bans all importation of Electric Unicycles using patent law unless licensing fee is paid.}}

Inventist and Alien Rides filed an ITC complaint on January 21, 2026, asserting U.S. Patent No. 8,807,250 and U.S. Patent No. D729,698 against five Chinese EUC manufacturers. The complaint seeks a general exclusion order that would block the named products at the U.S. border unless the manufacturers agree to licensing terms.<ref name="institution" /> The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had previously affirmed that at least one respondent's second-generation designs did not infringe the utility patent.<ref name="cafc">{{Cite web |date=November 14, 2025 |title=Inventist Inc. v. Ninebot Inc. (USA), No. 24-1010 |url=https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions-orders/24-1010.OPINION.11-14-2025_2604045.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260423002055/https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions-orders/24-1010.OPINION.11-14-2025_2604045.pdf |archive-date=2026-04-23 |access-date=2026-03-26 |publisher=United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit}}</ref>

==Background==

Alien Rides operates a retail and repair shop at 2256 Palou Ave, San Francisco.<ref name="institution" /> The company is the U.S. distribution partner for Inventist, Inc., founded by [[Shane Chen]], the inventor of the Solowheel self-balancing electric unicycle.<ref name="frreceipt" /> Alien Technology Group filed a trademark for "Alien Rides" in June 2021 covering online retail for personal electric vehicles.<ref name="euf" />

Kevin Grandon operates the business. In a January 28, 2026 statement responding to community backlash, Grandon stated that "patent enforcement does not mean the industry has to stop" and that "licensing is common across every technology sector."<ref name="euf" />

==See also==

*[[Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930]]
*[[Shane Chen]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Alien Rides]]

User talk:Sojourna

2026-05-03T03:44:14Z

Left4Code: /* archiving websites behind cloudflare or any other blockers */ Reply

==I've got a lotta work to do==

[[:Category:Articles with deletion requests]]. I've dealt with about 30 files so far. That took like 10 MINUTES. I've definitely got a lotta work to do. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:24, 19 March 2026 (UTC)

:I just remembered as I posted this there was a mass deletion tool that can make it super easy to delete everything made by a user. I didn't select everything, obviously, but I selected most. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:28, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
::WAIT THERE ARE STILL SOME? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:29, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
:::...Would it be bad at this time if I mentioned that combing through the entire upload log correcting bad/vague names while adding the license section is my long-term personal project? — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 06:31, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Wow. Makes sense! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:34, 19 March 2026 (UTC)

==umm==

From [[User:Sojourna]]:
<blockquote>Hello, I am Sojourna. I don't expect to be a huge contributor here and my visits likely infrequent, but I hope to help out in my own small way regardless.</blockquote>
That aged well.

HOW MUCH FREE TIME DO YOU HAVE?? I THOUGHT I HAD FREE TIME! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:18, 27 March 2026 (UTC)

:only 35 files this time, thats not many [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:19, 27 March 2026 (UTC)
::I'm caught up to July 2025 so far, so progress is (slowly) being made on the backlog! Once I'm caught up for the upload log, things ought to calm down for a bit. (Most of it is Louis' fault for that one mass upload; he can handle deciding what to do with his mess. :P ) — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 23:39, 27 March 2026 (UTC)

==Mod/superconfirmed==

As you're a longtime wiki editor, and are obviously doing a lot of work on the Wiki, would you be interested in applying for mod/getting superconfirmed status? Might unlock some useful options etc., and I think you can probably be trusted given the effort you're already putting in! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:44, 27 March 2026 (UTC)

:I've never been a wiki mod before, so I'm not sure what it would entail exactly. It'd be nice if it were possible to be able to move files without an unnecessary redirect, though. Or at least spare a certain user's sanity and delete my own file redirects. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 23:43, 27 March 2026 (UTC)
::A wiki mod mainly involves making sure no vandalism is occurring and if there is, applying the necessary block to the offender (usually after a warning is ignored or not if there's clear malice intent). Regarding the file redirects, you do not have the "Leave a redirect behind" option above the "Watch source page and target page" button? [[User:Mr Pollo|Mr Pollo]] ([[User talk:Mr Pollo|talk]]) 00:57, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
:::Thank you for the response. :)
:::I have never seen such an option displayed on the Special:MovePage (see [[:File:CRW move page - no disable redirect.png]]). This has always been the case for both the "Vector legacy (2010)" and "Vector (2022)" skins. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 01:23, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Only a mod has that button [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:01, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::I suspected as much, thank you for confirming. Guess I'd better find that application page because I know "no sane person wants to hit the delete button millions of times as Sojourna's slave". — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 20:52, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::Hey, no worries about the application as Keith was offering the role, you are trusted with it.
::::::I gave you mod at the base level, and will momentarily add you to staff chat in Zulip.
::::::Do not worry about any moderation you do not wish to do but it will be good for you to have the perms.
::::::Welcome to staff! [[User:Christoph Howard|Christoph Howard]] ([[User talk:Christoph Howard|talk]]) 02:48, 30 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::Hmm. I'm only finding this: [[Consumer Rights Wiki:Moderator applications]]. It also says "superconfirmed" can delete pages too, so I'm a bit confused. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 21:07, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::mod apps is the correct one [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 21:11, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::Basically, superconfirmed has a checkbox when moving to not leave redirs behind AND can delete whole pages with the delete button (as well as redirects, for that matter8 [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 21:12, 28 March 2026 (UTC)

==archiving websites behind cloudflare or any other blockers==

Hello,

wondering if there's a method to archive content behind a bot blocker (mostly cloudflare). I'm trying to archive #41 of [[Accellion data breach]] : https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/5:2021cv01203/373802

I've thought that I could do something like pass the flare check on the browser, then save the site contents, then upload them somewhere and archive that.

Do you or any of the other moderators know if archiving protected sites is possible? Any help is appreciated. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 03:14, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

:I've thought about it a little more, maybe it would be a good idea to add a url status of blocked or something to denote that some sort of restriction on archival services is happening. That way if more effort is put into getting archives of blocked links, that they can be searchable. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 03:31, 3 May 2026 (UTC)
::actually, if you manually type this, it does actually work. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 03:33, 3 May 2026 (UTC)
:::here's a proof of concept for this: [[Alien Rides]]
:::I think a decent syntax would be: archive-blocked (captcha:<type>) where type could be:
:::cloudflare
:::recaptcha
:::anubis
:::go-away
:::unknown - if the blocker is "in house" or otherwise not apparent.
:::captcha is only really there to make it apparent to others that what's blocking the archive is some sort of verification system, editors might not know the specific name of a bot blocker but will understand that it is blocking the archive. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 03:44, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

User talk:Sojourna

2026-05-03T03:33:28Z

Left4Code: /* archiving websites behind cloudflare or any other blockers */ Reply

User talk:Sojourna

2026-05-03T03:31:27Z

Left4Code: /* archiving websites behind cloudflare or any other blockers */ Reply

User talk:Sojourna

2026-05-03T03:14:31Z

Left4Code: /* archiving websites behind cloudflare or any other blockers */ new section

==I've got a lotta work to do==

[[:Category:Articles with deletion requests]]. I've dealt with about 30 files so far. That took like 10 MINUTES. I've definitely got a lotta work to do. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:24, 19 March 2026 (UTC)

:I just remembered as I posted this there was a mass deletion tool that can make it super easy to delete everything made by a user. I didn't select everything, obviously, but I selected most. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:28, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
::WAIT THERE ARE STILL SOME? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:29, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
:::...Would it be bad at this time if I mentioned that combing through the entire upload log correcting bad/vague names while adding the license section is my long-term personal project? — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 06:31, 19 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Wow. Makes sense! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:34, 19 March 2026 (UTC)

==umm==

From [[User:Sojourna]]:
<blockquote>Hello, I am Sojourna. I don't expect to be a huge contributor here and my visits likely infrequent, but I hope to help out in my own small way regardless.</blockquote>
That aged well.

HOW MUCH FREE TIME DO YOU HAVE?? I THOUGHT I HAD FREE TIME! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:18, 27 March 2026 (UTC)

:only 35 files this time, thats not many [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:19, 27 March 2026 (UTC)
::I'm caught up to July 2025 so far, so progress is (slowly) being made on the backlog! Once I'm caught up for the upload log, things ought to calm down for a bit. (Most of it is Louis' fault for that one mass upload; he can handle deciding what to do with his mess. :P ) — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 23:39, 27 March 2026 (UTC)

==Mod/superconfirmed==

As you're a longtime wiki editor, and are obviously doing a lot of work on the Wiki, would you be interested in applying for mod/getting superconfirmed status? Might unlock some useful options etc., and I think you can probably be trusted given the effort you're already putting in! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:44, 27 March 2026 (UTC)

:I've never been a wiki mod before, so I'm not sure what it would entail exactly. It'd be nice if it were possible to be able to move files without an unnecessary redirect, though. Or at least spare a certain user's sanity and delete my own file redirects. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 23:43, 27 March 2026 (UTC)
::A wiki mod mainly involves making sure no vandalism is occurring and if there is, applying the necessary block to the offender (usually after a warning is ignored or not if there's clear malice intent). Regarding the file redirects, you do not have the "Leave a redirect behind" option above the "Watch source page and target page" button? [[User:Mr Pollo|Mr Pollo]] ([[User talk:Mr Pollo|talk]]) 00:57, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
:::Thank you for the response. :)
:::I have never seen such an option displayed on the Special:MovePage (see [[:File:CRW move page - no disable redirect.png]]). This has always been the case for both the "Vector legacy (2010)" and "Vector (2022)" skins. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 01:23, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Only a mod has that button [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:01, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::I suspected as much, thank you for confirming. Guess I'd better find that application page because I know "no sane person wants to hit the delete button millions of times as Sojourna's slave". — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 20:52, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::Hey, no worries about the application as Keith was offering the role, you are trusted with it.
::::::I gave you mod at the base level, and will momentarily add you to staff chat in Zulip.
::::::Do not worry about any moderation you do not wish to do but it will be good for you to have the perms.
::::::Welcome to staff! [[User:Christoph Howard|Christoph Howard]] ([[User talk:Christoph Howard|talk]]) 02:48, 30 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::Hmm. I'm only finding this: [[Consumer Rights Wiki:Moderator applications]]. It also says "superconfirmed" can delete pages too, so I'm a bit confused. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 21:07, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::mod apps is the correct one [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 21:11, 28 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::Basically, superconfirmed has a checkbox when moving to not leave redirs behind AND can delete whole pages with the delete button (as well as redirects, for that matter8 [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 21:12, 28 March 2026 (UTC)

== archiving websites behind cloudflare or any other blockers ==

Hello,

wondering if there's a method to archive content behind a bot blocker (mostly cloudflare). I'm trying to archive #41 of [[Accellion data breach]] : https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/5:2021cv01203/373802

I've thought that I could do something like pass the flare check on the browser, then save the site contents, then upload them somewhere and archive that.

Do you or any of the other moderators know if archiving protected sites is possible? Any help is appreciated. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 03:14, 3 May 2026 (UTC)

User:Left4Code

2026-04-30T02:57:34Z

Left4Code: updated time

Will probably use this for volunteer experience on a resume. Think Louis would let me put him down as a reference? (Only half-joking)

My website is [https://left4code.neocities.org left4code.neocities.org] if you want to get in contact. My [https://left4code.neocities.org/left4code_gpg.txt email and PGP key] are there.

<s>hCaptcha is ruining my life.</s> I have been blessed by Lord Keith and saved from the hCaptcha nightmare, thank you!

Time spent editing so far (people like numbers, right?) {HH:MM:SS}: 29:53:00

Stats table (Shamelessly stolen from Beanie)

{| class="wikitable"
|+Contribution Scores
!Score
!Pages
!Changes
|-
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|score}}
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|pages}}
|{{#cscore:Left4Code|changes}}
|}

Cisco anti-competitive practices lawsuits

2026-04-30T02:56:12Z

Left4Code: second half

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Cisco Systems, Inc.
|StartDate=2015
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=Networking equipment
|Product=SmartNet
|ArticleType=Product
|Type=Monopolistic Practice
|Description=Cisco has been the subject of multiple antitrust lawsuits alleging that it uses its dominant position in the after-market for services on its networking equipment to suppress competition from independent resellers.
}}

[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]] is one of the largest manufacturers of enterprise networking equipment in the world, with a long-standing dominant share of the United States and global markets for [[wikipedia:Network switch|Ethernet switches]] and [[wikipedia:Router (computing)|routers]]. Beginning in the mid-2010s, Cisco has been the subject of antitrust complaints alleging that it leverages its near-monopoly position in maintenance services for its own equipment, primarily through service contracts marketed under the "SmartNet" brand, to compel customers to purchase additional networking hardware and to discourage them from buying through independent resellers. Two lawsuits filed by independent resellers, ''Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc.'' (E.D. Tex. 2022)<ref name="courtlistener-edtx">{{cite web |date=2022-04-27 |title=Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., 5:22-cv-00053 |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63269284/dexon-computer-inc-v-cisco-systems-inc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430013545/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63269284/dexon-computer-inc-v-cisco-systems-inc/ |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |website=CourtListener |publisher=Free Law Project}}</ref> and ''Summit 360, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc.'' (D. Minn. 2025),<ref name="Summit360Complaint">{{cite web |author=Summit 360, Inc. |date=2025-05-22 |title=Complaint, Summit 360, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., Case No. 0:25-cv-02202 |url=https://casefilingsalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Cisco-Accused-of-Monopoly.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250623075535/https://casefilingsalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Cisco-Accused-of-Monopoly.pdf |archive-date=2025-06-23 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota}}</ref> have characterized these tactics using a phrase allegedly common<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> within Cisco's own internal vocabulary: "fear, uncertainty, and doubt," or FUD. Earlier antitrust matters brought by Multiven (2008) and Arista Networks (2016) raised related concerns about how Cisco bundles software updates and other after-market services with its hardware sales.

==Background==

Cisco distributes its networking equipment primarily through what the ''Summit 360'' complaint describes as an "Authorized Channel" of contracted resellers and distributors, which the complaint states consists of more than 8,000 organizations in the United States.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> Alongside this authorized channel, an "Independent Channel" of resellers (sometimes referred to as the secondary or grey market) supplies new and used Cisco-branded equipment to end users, generally at lower prices and with shorter lead times than Cisco's authorized partners. Independent resellers also frequently sell equipment from Cisco's competitors, including Juniper Networks, Arista Networks, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.<ref name="computerworld-aftermarket">{{cite news |last=Cox |first=John |date=2007 |title=Cisco set to fight aftermarket sellers |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/1650570/cisco-set-to-fight-aftermarket-sellers.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430014150/https://www.computerworld.com/article/1650570/cisco-set-to-fight-aftermarket-sellers.html |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=2025-04-29 |work=Computerworld}}</ref><ref name="packetpushers-graymarket">{{cite web |last=Conran |first=Greg |date=January 26, 2024 |title=Aspects Of The Gray Market For IT Gear |url=https://packetpushers.net/blog/aspects-of-the-gray-market-for-it-gear/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205001926/https://packetpushers.net/blog/aspects-of-the-gray-market-for-it-gear/ |archive-date=2024-12-05 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Packet Pushers}}</ref><ref name="register-cdw">{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Dan |date=January 15, 2024 |title=CDW settles in lawsuit with rival reseller over Cisco sales |url=https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/15/cdw_settles_in_lawsuit/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260117004228/https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/15/cdw_settles_in_lawsuit/ |archive-date=2026-01-17 |access-date=2026-04-29 |work=The Register}}</ref>

Cisco has consistently held a dominant share of the U.S. and global markets for [[wikipedia:Network switch|Ethernet switches]] and [[wikipedia:Router (computing)|routers]] over the period at issue. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), Cisco's share of the worldwide Ethernet switch market exceeded 57% at the end of 2016<ref name="tadviser-idc-2016">{{cite web |title=Ethernet LAN Switches (Global Market) |url=https://tadviser.com/index.php/Article:Ethernet_LAN_Switches_(Global_Market) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430014713/https://tadviser.com/index.php/Article:Ethernet_LAN_Switches_(Global_Market) |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=TAdviser}}</ref> and stood at 47.1% in the second quarter of 2023, before declining as the market expanded with new entrants serving AI-driven demand for datacenter hardware.<ref name="idc-2q24">{{cite web |title=IDC Finds Mixed Results for Q2 2024 in the Worldwide Ethernet Switch and Router Markets |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240912150246/en/IDC-Finds-Mixed-Results-for-Q2-2024-in-the-Worldwide-Ethernet-Switch-and-Router-Markets |publisher=International Data Corporation |website=Business Wire |date=September 12, 2024 |access-date=April 30, 2026}}</ref>

Cisco's principal service contract for end users is marketed as "SmartNet." A SmartNet contract typically provides software updates, technical support, and hardware replacement for covered equipment.<ref name="cisco-smartnet-qa">{{cite web |title=Cisco SMARTnet Service Q&A |url=https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/das.ohio.gov/technology-strategy/next-generation-telephony-service/technical-implementation/service-details/Cisco%20Smartnet%20Service.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430015918/https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/das.ohio.gov/technology-strategy/next-generation-telephony-service/technical-implementation/service-details/Cisco%20Smartnet%20Service.pdf |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Cisco Systems, Inc.}}</ref> The complaints state that customers without an active SmartNet contract may lose access to security and operational updates necessary for their equipment to continue functioning properly, leaving most enterprise customers effectively dependent on the contract.<ref name="law360-filing">{{cite news |last=Atkins |first=Dorothy |date=April 28, 2022 |title=Cisco Accused Of Using Coercion To Maintain Monopoly |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1488140/cisco-accused-of-using-coercion-to-maintain-monopoly |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722162939/https://www.law360.com/articles/1488140/cisco-accused-of-using-coercion-to-maintain-monopoly |archive-date=2025-07-22 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Law360}}</ref><ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

==Alleged practices==

===SmartNet as a coercive tool===

The ''Dexon'' complaint alleges that, after a customer has purchased and begun using a SmartNet contract for previously installed equipment, Cisco subsequently demanded that the customer either purchase new networking equipment or pay a "re-certification" fee on existing hardware as a condition of continued service under the contract.<ref name="law360-filing" /><ref name="bloomberglaw-mtd">{{cite news |last=Arcieri |first=Katie |date=April 3, 2023 |title=Dexon Wins Approval to Move Forward with Cisco Antitrust Case |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/antitrust/dexon-wins-approval-to-move-forward-with-cisco-antitrust-case |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250725105229/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/web/20250725105229/https:/news.bloomberglaw.com/antitrust/dexon-wins-approval-to-move-forward-with-cisco-antitrust-case |archive-date=2025-07-25 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Bloomberg Law}}</ref> The complaint provides several Texas-based examples in which Cisco was alleged to have withheld or threatened to withhold maintenance services unless customers ceased purchasing equipment from Dexon, including a regional bank, an energy company, a local 911 emergency call center, an automobile dealership, and an independent school district.<ref name="texarkana-gazette">{{cite news |date=April 30, 2022 |title=Network provider Cisco accused of intimidation, monopoly |url=https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2022/apr/30/network-provider-cisco-accused-of-intimidation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722085326/https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2022/apr/30/network-provider-cisco-accused-of-intimidation/ |archive-date=2025-07-22 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Texarkana Gazette}}</ref><ref name="law360-filing" />

The ''Summit 360'' complaint describes a similar practice, alleging that Cisco's recertification fees can exceed the value of the equipment itself, leaving end users with no practical option other than to purchase entirely new hardware through the authorized channel.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

==='FUD' tactics===

A central allegation in both lawsuits is that Cisco trains and incentivizes its sales force and a designated "brand protection" team to deploy what the company's own employees reportedly refer to as FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) to discourage end users from purchasing equipment outside the authorized channel. The ''Summit 360'' complaint states that customer-facing materials prepared for this purpose suggest that equipment purchased through independent resellers may be counterfeit, unauthorized, or compromised by malware, and that Cisco representatives have communicated such concerns directly to customers, sometimes without supporting evidence.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> The ''Dexon'' complaint alleges that, in one instance, Cisco told a Maryland customer that line cards sold by Dexon contained malware, despite the components in question containing no software at all.<ref name="law360-filing" />

The ''Summit 360'' complaint provides an example in which a Cisco representative reportedly told a cargo airline that Summit 360 was "under investigation" while a large purchase order was pending, language the complaint characterizes as designed to interrupt the transaction.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

===Cisco–CDW conspiracy allegations===

The ''Dexon'' complaint named [[wikipedia:CDW|CDW Corporation]], one of Cisco's largest authorized resellers, as a co-defendant. Dexon alleged that the two companies had agreed to coordinate sales such that CDW would absorb business that customers had previously placed with Dexon, and that CDW would refuse to supply Dexon with Cisco products and SmartNet contracts.<ref name="law360-filing" /><ref name="register-cdw" /> The complaint cited an order from a Pennsylvania hospital system as a specific example, alleging that Cisco threatened to cancel the hospital's existing SmartNet coverage unless it cancelled an equipment order placed with Dexon, and that CDW subsequently filled the order at a higher price.<ref name="law360-filing" />

===Customer audits and IOS licensing changes===

The ''Summit 360'' complaint focuses on a set of practices that post-date the conduct alleged in ''Dexon''. According to the complaint, Cisco uses customer audits, conducted under the company's End User License Agreement, its successor "General Terms," or as part of voluntary "health check" programs, to identify equipment supplied through independent resellers and to charge customers re-certification or re-licensing fees on that equipment.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

The ''Summit 360'' complaint further alleges that Cisco's newer generation of switches and routers requires a software subscription that is tied to the original purchaser, restricting access to IOS updates for equipment that subsequently changes hands through the secondary market.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> The U.S. Department of Justice referenced what it described as "Cisco fatigue" arising from these licensing practices in its January 2025 complaint to block Hewlett Packard Enterprise's proposed acquisition of Juniper Networks.<ref name="DOJHPEJuniperCIS">{{cite web |date=July 10, 2025 |title=United States v. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., et al.; Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/10/2025-12887/united-states-v-hewlett-packard-enterprise-co-et-al-proposed-final-judgment-and-competitive-impact |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430020520/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/10/2025-12887/united-states-v-hewlett-packard-enterprise-co-et-al-proposed-final-judgment-and-competitive-impact |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Federal Register, U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>

===Cisco's response===

Throughout the ''Dexon'' litigation, Cisco maintained that the substantive dispute between the two companies was its own earlier-filed counterfeiting suit against Dexon in the Northern District of California, in which Cisco alleged that Dexon had trafficked in counterfeit Cisco products.<ref name="kellogghansen">{{cite web |date=January 31, 2024 |title=Cisco Systems Resolves Antitrust Allegations and Counterfeit-Trafficking Claims in Sweeping Settlement Agreement |url=https://kellogghansen.com/cisco-systems-resolves-antitrust-allegations-and-counterfeit-trafficking-claims-in-sweeping-settlement-agreement/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260207140027/https://kellogghansen.com/cisco-systems-resolves-antitrust-allegations-and-counterfeit-trafficking-claims-in-sweeping-settlement-agreement/ |archive-date=2026-02-07 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick}}</ref> Cisco moved to transfer the Texas antitrust case to California and to dismiss the complaint, but the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas denied both motions in March 2023, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit declined to issue a writ of mandamus directing transfer in July 2023.<ref name="dexon-mtd-order-2023">{{cite web |date=March 31, 2023 |title=Order Overruling Objections, Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., No. 5:22-CV-00053-RWS-JBB (E.D. Tex. Mar. 31, 2023) |url=https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/dexon-comput-v-cisco-929144568 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260207140027/https://kellogghansen.com/cisco-systems-resolves-antitrust-allegations-and-counterfeit-trafficking-claims-in-sweeping-settlement-agreement/ |archive-date=2026-02-07 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |website=vLex}}</ref><ref name="commlit-mandamus">{{cite news |date=2023-07-21 |title=5th Circuit Denies Cisco Mandamus Relief to Transfer Dexon's Antitrust Case to Northern Calif. |url=https://communicationslitigationtoday.com/article/2023/07/21/5th-circuit-denies-cisco-mandamus-relief-to-transfer-dexons-antitrust-case-to-northern-calif-2307200034 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430021140/https://communicationslitigationtoday.com/article/2023/07/21/5th-circuit-denies-cisco-mandamus-relief-to-transfer-dexons-antitrust-case-to-northern-calif-2307200034 |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Communications Litigation Today}}</ref> In October 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted Cisco a preliminary injunction barring Dexon from selling certain products that Cisco had identified as counterfeit.<ref name="law360-injunction">{{cite news |last=Kim |first=Gina |date=October 5, 2023 |title=Cisco Systems Blocks Dexon From Selling Knockoff Products |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1729870 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430022245/https://www.law360.com/articles/1729870 |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Law360}}</ref>

In a public statement following the global settlement of the two cases in January 2024, Cisco's lead trial counsel characterized the resolution as a successful outcome for the company's anti-counterfeiting enforcement program, citing terms under which Dexon agreed to cease unauthorized resales of Cisco products and to apply to join Cisco's authorized reseller program.<ref name="kellogghansen" /><ref name="haltomdoan">{{cite web |date=January 2024 |title=Dexon v. Cisco Agreed Joint Statement |url=https://www.haltomdoan.com/dexon-v-cisco-agreed-joint-statement/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260125061211/https://www.haltomdoan.com/dexon-v-cisco-agreed-joint-statement/ |archive-date=2026-01-25 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Haltom & Doan}}</ref>

==Lawsuits==

===Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc.===

Dexon Computer, Inc., a Minnesota-based independent reseller, filed an antitrust complaint against Cisco and CDW in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on April 27, 2022.<ref name="courtlistener-edtx" /><ref name="law360-filing" /> The complaint asserted claims under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act, the Texas Free Enterprise and Antitrust Act, and a per se tying theory based on the alleged use of SmartNet contracts as a tying product for new equipment purchases.<ref name="unicourt">{{cite web |title=Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., et al. |url=https://unicourt.com/case/pc-db5-dexon-computer-inc-v-cisco-systems-inc-et-al-1187348 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430022602/https://unicourt.com/case/pc-db5-dexon-computer-inc-v-cisco-systems-inc-et-al-1187348 |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |website=UniCourt}}</ref> The dispute followed a 2020 lawsuit filed by Cisco against Dexon in the Northern District of California, in which Cisco alleged trademark infringement and counterfeit trafficking.<ref name="courtlistener-ndca">{{cite web |title=Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Dexon Computer, Inc., 3:20-cv-04926 |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17373190/cisco-systems-inc-v-dexon-computer-inc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430022953/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17373190/cisco-systems-inc-v-dexon-computer-inc/ |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |website=CourtListener |publisher=Free Law Project}}</ref>

In a January 17, 2024 summary judgment ruling, the court dismissed Dexon's Sherman Act § 1 conspiracy and per se tying claims while allowing the monopolization claims under Section 2 to proceed to trial.<ref name="dexon-msj-order">{{cite web |date=January 17, 2024 |title=Order on Motions for Summary Judgment, Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., No. 5:22-CV-00053-RWS-JBB (E.D. Tex. Jan. 17, 2024) |url=https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/65a9fae2f5042d01406bd1da |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430023219/https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/65a9fae2f5042d01406bd1da |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |website=Casemine}}</ref><ref name="law360-teedup">{{cite news |last=Koenig |first=Bryan |date=January 17, 2024 |title=Reseller's Antitrust Claims Against Cisco Teed Up For Trial |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1787028/reseller-s-antitrust-claims-against-cisco-teed-up-for-trial |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118032852/https://www.law360.com/articles/1787028/reseller-s-antitrust-claims-against-cisco-teed-up-for-trial |archive-date=2024-01-18 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Law360}}</ref> CDW reached a separate settlement with Dexon shortly before trial.<ref name="register-cdw" /> Trial began in Texarkana, Texas on January 22, 2024.<ref name="reuters-trial-mirror">{{cite news |last=Scarcella |first=Mike |date=January 23, 2024 |title=Cisco battles reseller's antitrust lawsuit over network equipment |url=https://www.ciplawyer.com/articles/152656.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250316185752/https://www.ciplawyer.com/articles/152656.html |archive-date=2025-03-16 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Reuters |publisher=Republished by China Intellectual Property Lawyers Network}}</ref>

On January 29, 2024, before the case reached the jury, Dexon and Cisco reached a global settlement that resolved both the Texas antitrust case and the parallel California counterfeit case without a verdict.<ref name="law360-drop">{{cite news |last=Foretek |first=Jared |date=January 29, 2024 |title=Reseller Drops Antitrust Countersuit Against Cisco Midtrial |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1791064/reseller-drops-antitrust-countersuit-against-cisco-midtrial |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205223802/https://www.law360.com/articles/1791064/reseller-drops-antitrust-countersuit-against-cisco-midtrial |archive-date=2024-02-05 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Law360}}</ref><ref name="kellogghansen" /> A related insurance-coverage matter, ''Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Travelers Property Casualty Co. of America'', was decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in May 2024.<ref name="dexon-travelers-8th">{{cite web |title=Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Travelers Property Casualty Co. of America, No. 23-1328 (8th Cir. May 20, 2024) |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca8/23-1328/23-1328-2024-05-20.html |website=Justia |date=May 20, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

===Summit 360, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc.===

On May 22, 2025, Summit 360, Inc., another Minnesota-based independent reseller, filed an antitrust complaint against Cisco in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /><ref name="PYMNTS_CPI">{{cite news |date=May 25, 2025 |title=Cisco Faces Antitrust Lawsuit Over Alleged Monopoly Tactics in Networking Market |url=https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/cisco-faces-antitrust-lawsuit-over-alleged-monopoly-tactics-in-networking-market/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250723114210/https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/cisco-faces-antitrust-lawsuit-over-alleged-monopoly-tactics-in-networking-market/ |archive-date=2025-07-23 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=PYMNTS / Competition Policy International}}</ref> The complaint asserts claims under Section 2 of the Sherman Act, the Minnesota Antitrust Law, and a state-law claim for tortious interference with prospective economic advantage.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> The complaint cites the January 2024 ''Dexon'' summary judgment ruling as authority that Cisco's FUD tactics may form part of an anticompetitive scheme.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

The Summit 360 complaint expands on the allegations made in ''Dexon'' by describing additional practices that the complaint characterizes as anticompetitive, including customer audits conducted under EULA and licensing terms, technological restrictions on IOS updates for newer Cisco hardware, and the use of counterfeit allegations against independent resellers.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> As of the date of this article, the case is pending.<ref name="MLex2025">{{cite web |date=May 2025 |title=Antitrust – Cisco – Summit 360 litigation over alleged monopolization of computer networking market (US) |url=https://www.mlex.com/mlex/case_files/683096ff7b5702e0a9486f86 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430023824/https://www.mlex.com/mlex/case_files/683096ff7b5702e0a9486f86 |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=MLex}}</ref>

===Earlier antitrust litigation===

Both the ''Dexon'' and ''Summit 360'' complaints reference earlier antitrust matters involving Cisco. In 2008, Multiven, Inc., a third-party network maintenance provider, filed an antitrust suit against Cisco alleging that Cisco's bundling of software bug fixes with its SmartNet maintenance contracts excluded competition in the after-market for service on Cisco equipment.<ref name="networkworld-multiven">{{cite news |last=McNamara |first=Paul |date=2008 |title=Net maintenance provider sues Cisco over allegedly monopolistic SMARTnet |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2233318/net-maintenance-provider-sues-cisco-over-allegedly-monopolistic-smartnet.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924130247/https://www.networkworld.com/article/2233318/net-maintenance-provider-sues-cisco-over-allegedly-monopolistic-smartnet.html |archive-date=2023-09-24 |access-date=2026-04-29 |work=Network World}}</ref> The case settled in August 2010.<ref name="computerworld-multiven">{{cite news |last=Lawson |first=Stephen |title=Cisco settles antitrust suit over software updates |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2519776/cisco-settles-antitrust-suit-over-software-updates.html |work=Computerworld |date=August 2010 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

In 2015, [[wikipedia:Arista Networks|Arista Networks, Inc.]] brought antitrust counterclaims against Cisco in the context of long-running patent litigation between the two companies, alleging that Cisco's pricing of SmartNet functioned as a charge on multivendor networks.<ref name="networkworld-arista">{{cite news |last=Duffy |first=Jim |date=2015 |title=Arista Countersues Cisco, Claiming Antitrust Violations |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/947364/arista-countersues-cisco-for-antitrust.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430024558/https://www.networkworld.com/article/947364/arista-countersues-cisco-for-antitrust.html |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=2026-04-29 |work=Network World}}</ref> The court denied Cisco's motion for summary judgment on the antitrust claims, ruling that the evidence was sufficient to proceed to trial.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> The two companies reached a comprehensive settlement in August 2018, under which Arista paid Cisco $400 million.<ref name="ReutersAristaSettle">{{cite news |author=Jan Wolfe |date=August 6, 2018 |title=Arista to pay $400 million to Cisco to resolve court fight |url=https://www.aol.com/arista-pay-400-million-cisco-resolve-court-fight-154704053--finance.html |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Reuters (via AOL)}}</ref><ref name="BloombergLawArista">{{cite news |date=2018-08-06 |title=Arista to Pay Cisco $400M to Settle Patent, Antitrust Lawsuits |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/arista-to-pay-cisco-400m-to-settle-patent-antitrust-lawsuits/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430025344/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/arista-to-pay-cisco-400m-to-settle-patent-antitrust-lawsuits/ |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Bloomberg Law}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[category:Cisco]]

Cisco anti-competitive practices lawsuits

2026-04-30T02:27:17Z

Left4Code: archives 1-18

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Cisco Systems, Inc.
|StartDate=2015
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=Networking equipment
|Product=SmartNet
|ArticleType=Product
|Type=Monopolistic Practice
|Description=Cisco has been the subject of multiple antitrust lawsuits alleging that it uses its dominant position in the after-market for services on its networking equipment to suppress competition from independent resellers.
}}

[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]] is one of the largest manufacturers of enterprise networking equipment in the world, with a long-standing dominant share of the United States and global markets for [[wikipedia:Network switch|Ethernet switches]] and [[wikipedia:Router (computing)|routers]]. Beginning in the mid-2010s, Cisco has been the subject of antitrust complaints alleging that it leverages its near-monopoly position in maintenance services for its own equipment, primarily through service contracts marketed under the "SmartNet" brand, to compel customers to purchase additional networking hardware and to discourage them from buying through independent resellers. Two lawsuits filed by independent resellers, ''Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc.'' (E.D. Tex. 2022)<ref name="courtlistener-edtx">{{cite web |date=2022-04-27 |title=Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., 5:22-cv-00053 |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63269284/dexon-computer-inc-v-cisco-systems-inc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430013545/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63269284/dexon-computer-inc-v-cisco-systems-inc/ |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |website=CourtListener |publisher=Free Law Project}}</ref> and ''Summit 360, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc.'' (D. Minn. 2025),<ref name="Summit360Complaint">{{cite web |author=Summit 360, Inc. |date=2025-05-22 |title=Complaint, Summit 360, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., Case No. 0:25-cv-02202 |url=https://casefilingsalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Cisco-Accused-of-Monopoly.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250623075535/https://casefilingsalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Cisco-Accused-of-Monopoly.pdf |archive-date=2025-06-23 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota}}</ref> have characterized these tactics using a phrase allegedly common<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> within Cisco's own internal vocabulary: "fear, uncertainty, and doubt," or FUD. Earlier antitrust matters brought by Multiven (2008) and Arista Networks (2016) raised related concerns about how Cisco bundles software updates and other after-market services with its hardware sales.

==Background==

Cisco distributes its networking equipment primarily through what the ''Summit 360'' complaint describes as an "Authorized Channel" of contracted resellers and distributors, which the complaint states consists of more than 8,000 organizations in the United States.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> Alongside this authorized channel, an "Independent Channel" of resellers (sometimes referred to as the secondary or grey market) supplies new and used Cisco-branded equipment to end users, generally at lower prices and with shorter lead times than Cisco's authorized partners. Independent resellers also frequently sell equipment from Cisco's competitors, including Juniper Networks, Arista Networks, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.<ref name="computerworld-aftermarket">{{cite news |last=Cox |first=John |date=2007 |title=Cisco set to fight aftermarket sellers |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/1650570/cisco-set-to-fight-aftermarket-sellers.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430014150/https://www.computerworld.com/article/1650570/cisco-set-to-fight-aftermarket-sellers.html |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=2025-04-29 |work=Computerworld}}</ref><ref name="packetpushers-graymarket">{{cite web |last=Conran |first=Greg |date=January 26, 2024 |title=Aspects Of The Gray Market For IT Gear |url=https://packetpushers.net/blog/aspects-of-the-gray-market-for-it-gear/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205001926/https://packetpushers.net/blog/aspects-of-the-gray-market-for-it-gear/ |archive-date=2024-12-05 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Packet Pushers}}</ref><ref name="register-cdw">{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Dan |date=January 15, 2024 |title=CDW settles in lawsuit with rival reseller over Cisco sales |url=https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/15/cdw_settles_in_lawsuit/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260117004228/https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/15/cdw_settles_in_lawsuit/ |archive-date=2026-01-17 |access-date=2026-04-29 |work=The Register}}</ref>

Cisco has consistently held a dominant share of the U.S. and global markets for [[wikipedia:Network switch|Ethernet switches]] and [[wikipedia:Router (computing)|routers]] over the period at issue. According to International Data Corporation (IDC), Cisco's share of the worldwide Ethernet switch market exceeded 57% at the end of 2016<ref name="tadviser-idc-2016">{{cite web |title=Ethernet LAN Switches (Global Market) |url=https://tadviser.com/index.php/Article:Ethernet_LAN_Switches_(Global_Market) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430014713/https://tadviser.com/index.php/Article:Ethernet_LAN_Switches_(Global_Market) |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=TAdviser}}</ref> and stood at 47.1% in the second quarter of 2023, before declining as the market expanded with new entrants serving AI-driven demand for datacenter hardware.<ref name="idc-2q24">{{cite web |title=IDC Finds Mixed Results for Q2 2024 in the Worldwide Ethernet Switch and Router Markets |url=https://my.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS52590024 |publisher=International Data Corporation |date=September 12, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

Cisco's principal service contract for end users is marketed as "SmartNet." A SmartNet contract typically provides software updates, technical support, and hardware replacement for covered equipment.<ref name="cisco-smartnet-qa">{{cite web |title=Cisco SMARTnet Service Q&A |url=https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/das.ohio.gov/technology-strategy/next-generation-telephony-service/technical-implementation/service-details/Cisco%20Smartnet%20Service.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430015918/https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/das.ohio.gov/technology-strategy/next-generation-telephony-service/technical-implementation/service-details/Cisco%20Smartnet%20Service.pdf |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Cisco Systems, Inc.}}</ref> The complaints state that customers without an active SmartNet contract may lose access to security and operational updates necessary for their equipment to continue functioning properly, leaving most enterprise customers effectively dependent on the contract.<ref name="law360-filing">{{cite news |last=Atkins |first=Dorothy |date=April 28, 2022 |title=Cisco Accused Of Using Coercion To Maintain Monopoly |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1488140/cisco-accused-of-using-coercion-to-maintain-monopoly |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722162939/https://www.law360.com/articles/1488140/cisco-accused-of-using-coercion-to-maintain-monopoly |archive-date=2025-07-22 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Law360}}</ref><ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

==Alleged practices==

===SmartNet as a coercive tool===

The ''Dexon'' complaint alleges that, after a customer has purchased and begun using a SmartNet contract for previously installed equipment, Cisco subsequently demanded that the customer either purchase new networking equipment or pay a "re-certification" fee on existing hardware as a condition of continued service under the contract.<ref name="law360-filing" /><ref name="bloomberglaw-mtd">{{cite news |last=Arcieri |first=Katie |date=April 3, 2023 |title=Dexon Wins Approval to Move Forward with Cisco Antitrust Case |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/antitrust/dexon-wins-approval-to-move-forward-with-cisco-antitrust-case |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250725105229/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/web/20250725105229/https:/news.bloomberglaw.com/antitrust/dexon-wins-approval-to-move-forward-with-cisco-antitrust-case |archive-date=2025-07-25 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Bloomberg Law}}</ref> The complaint provides several Texas-based examples in which Cisco was alleged to have withheld or threatened to withhold maintenance services unless customers ceased purchasing equipment from Dexon, including a regional bank, an energy company, a local 911 emergency call center, an automobile dealership, and an independent school district.<ref name="texarkana-gazette">{{cite news |date=April 30, 2022 |title=Network provider Cisco accused of intimidation, monopoly |url=https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2022/apr/30/network-provider-cisco-accused-of-intimidation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722085326/https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2022/apr/30/network-provider-cisco-accused-of-intimidation/ |archive-date=2025-07-22 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Texarkana Gazette}}</ref><ref name="law360-filing" />

The ''Summit 360'' complaint describes a similar practice, alleging that Cisco's recertification fees can exceed the value of the equipment itself, leaving end users with no practical option other than to purchase entirely new hardware through the authorized channel.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

==='FUD' tactics===

A central allegation in both lawsuits is that Cisco trains and incentivizes its sales force and a designated "brand protection" team to deploy what the company's own employees reportedly refer to as FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) to discourage end users from purchasing equipment outside the authorized channel. The ''Summit 360'' complaint states that customer-facing materials prepared for this purpose suggest that equipment purchased through independent resellers may be counterfeit, unauthorized, or compromised by malware, and that Cisco representatives have communicated such concerns directly to customers, sometimes without supporting evidence.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> The ''Dexon'' complaint alleges that, in one instance, Cisco told a Maryland customer that line cards sold by Dexon contained malware, despite the components in question containing no software at all.<ref name="law360-filing" />

The ''Summit 360'' complaint provides an example in which a Cisco representative reportedly told a cargo airline that Summit 360 was "under investigation" while a large purchase order was pending, language the complaint characterizes as designed to interrupt the transaction.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

===Cisco–CDW conspiracy allegations===

The ''Dexon'' complaint named [[wikipedia:CDW|CDW Corporation]], one of Cisco's largest authorized resellers, as a co-defendant. Dexon alleged that the two companies had agreed to coordinate sales such that CDW would absorb business that customers had previously placed with Dexon, and that CDW would refuse to supply Dexon with Cisco products and SmartNet contracts.<ref name="law360-filing" /><ref name="register-cdw" /> The complaint cited an order from a Pennsylvania hospital system as a specific example, alleging that Cisco threatened to cancel the hospital's existing SmartNet coverage unless it cancelled an equipment order placed with Dexon, and that CDW subsequently filled the order at a higher price.<ref name="law360-filing" />

===Customer audits and IOS licensing changes===

The ''Summit 360'' complaint focuses on a set of practices that post-date the conduct alleged in ''Dexon''. According to the complaint, Cisco uses customer audits, conducted under the company's End User License Agreement, its successor "General Terms," or as part of voluntary "health check" programs, to identify equipment supplied through independent resellers and to charge customers re-certification or re-licensing fees on that equipment.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

The ''Summit 360'' complaint further alleges that Cisco's newer generation of switches and routers requires a software subscription that is tied to the original purchaser, restricting access to IOS updates for equipment that subsequently changes hands through the secondary market.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> The U.S. Department of Justice referenced what it described as "Cisco fatigue" arising from these licensing practices in its January 2025 complaint to block Hewlett Packard Enterprise's proposed acquisition of Juniper Networks.<ref name="DOJHPEJuniperCIS">{{cite web |date=July 10, 2025 |title=United States v. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., et al.; Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/10/2025-12887/united-states-v-hewlett-packard-enterprise-co-et-al-proposed-final-judgment-and-competitive-impact |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430020520/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/10/2025-12887/united-states-v-hewlett-packard-enterprise-co-et-al-proposed-final-judgment-and-competitive-impact |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Federal Register, U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>

===Cisco's response===

Throughout the ''Dexon'' litigation, Cisco maintained that the substantive dispute between the two companies was its own earlier-filed counterfeiting suit against Dexon in the Northern District of California, in which Cisco alleged that Dexon had trafficked in counterfeit Cisco products.<ref name="kellogghansen">{{cite web |date=January 31, 2024 |title=Cisco Systems Resolves Antitrust Allegations and Counterfeit-Trafficking Claims in Sweeping Settlement Agreement |url=https://kellogghansen.com/cisco-systems-resolves-antitrust-allegations-and-counterfeit-trafficking-claims-in-sweeping-settlement-agreement/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260207140027/https://kellogghansen.com/cisco-systems-resolves-antitrust-allegations-and-counterfeit-trafficking-claims-in-sweeping-settlement-agreement/ |archive-date=2026-02-07 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick}}</ref> Cisco moved to transfer the Texas antitrust case to California and to dismiss the complaint, but the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas denied both motions in March 2023, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit declined to issue a writ of mandamus directing transfer in July 2023.<ref name="dexon-mtd-order-2023">{{cite web |date=March 31, 2023 |title=Order Overruling Objections, Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., No. 5:22-CV-00053-RWS-JBB (E.D. Tex. Mar. 31, 2023) |url=https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/dexon-comput-v-cisco-929144568 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260207140027/https://kellogghansen.com/cisco-systems-resolves-antitrust-allegations-and-counterfeit-trafficking-claims-in-sweeping-settlement-agreement/ |archive-date=2026-02-07 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |website=vLex}}</ref><ref name="commlit-mandamus">{{cite news |date=2023-07-21 |title=5th Circuit Denies Cisco Mandamus Relief to Transfer Dexon's Antitrust Case to Northern Calif. |url=https://communicationslitigationtoday.com/article/2023/07/21/5th-circuit-denies-cisco-mandamus-relief-to-transfer-dexons-antitrust-case-to-northern-calif-2307200034 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430021140/https://communicationslitigationtoday.com/article/2023/07/21/5th-circuit-denies-cisco-mandamus-relief-to-transfer-dexons-antitrust-case-to-northern-calif-2307200034 |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Communications Litigation Today}}</ref> In October 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted Cisco a preliminary injunction barring Dexon from selling certain products that Cisco had identified as counterfeit.<ref name="law360-injunction">{{cite news |last=Kim |first=Gina |date=October 5, 2023 |title=Cisco Systems Blocks Dexon From Selling Knockoff Products |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1729870 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430022245/https://www.law360.com/articles/1729870 |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |work=Law360}}</ref>

In a public statement following the global settlement of the two cases in January 2024, Cisco's lead trial counsel characterized the resolution as a successful outcome for the company's anti-counterfeiting enforcement program, citing terms under which Dexon agreed to cease unauthorized resales of Cisco products and to apply to join Cisco's authorized reseller program.<ref name="kellogghansen" /><ref name="haltomdoan">{{cite web |date=January 2024 |title=Dexon v. Cisco Agreed Joint Statement |url=https://www.haltomdoan.com/dexon-v-cisco-agreed-joint-statement/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260125061211/https://www.haltomdoan.com/dexon-v-cisco-agreed-joint-statement/ |archive-date=2026-01-25 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |publisher=Haltom & Doan}}</ref>

==Lawsuits==

===Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc.===

Dexon Computer, Inc., a Minnesota-based independent reseller, filed an antitrust complaint against Cisco and CDW in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on April 27, 2022.<ref name="courtlistener-edtx" /><ref name="law360-filing" /> The complaint asserted claims under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act, the Texas Free Enterprise and Antitrust Act, and a per se tying theory based on the alleged use of SmartNet contracts as a tying product for new equipment purchases.<ref name="unicourt">{{cite web |title=Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., et al. |url=https://unicourt.com/case/pc-db5-dexon-computer-inc-v-cisco-systems-inc-et-al-1187348 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430022602/https://unicourt.com/case/pc-db5-dexon-computer-inc-v-cisco-systems-inc-et-al-1187348 |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=April 29, 2026 |website=UniCourt}}</ref> The dispute followed a 2020 lawsuit filed by Cisco against Dexon in the Northern District of California, in which Cisco alleged trademark infringement and counterfeit trafficking.<ref name="courtlistener-ndca">{{cite web |title=Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Dexon Computer, Inc., 3:20-cv-04926 |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17373190/cisco-systems-inc-v-dexon-computer-inc/ |website=CourtListener |publisher=Free Law Project |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

In a January 17, 2024 summary judgment ruling, the court dismissed Dexon's Sherman Act § 1 conspiracy and per se tying claims while allowing the monopolization claims under Section 2 to proceed to trial.<ref name="dexon-msj-order">{{cite web |title=Order on Motions for Summary Judgment, Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., No. 5:22-CV-00053-RWS-JBB (E.D. Tex. Jan. 17, 2024) |url=https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/65a9fae2f5042d01406bd1da |website=Casemine |date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref><ref name="law360-teedup">{{cite news |last=Koenig |first=Bryan |title=Reseller's Antitrust Claims Against Cisco Teed Up For Trial |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1787028/reseller-s-antitrust-claims-against-cisco-teed-up-for-trial |work=Law360 |date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref> CDW reached a separate settlement with Dexon shortly before trial.<ref name="register-cdw" /> Trial began in Texarkana, Texas on January 22, 2024.<ref name="reuters-trial-mirror">{{cite news |last=Scarcella |first=Mike |title=Cisco battles reseller's antitrust lawsuit over network equipment |url=https://www.ciplawyer.com/articles/152656.html |work=Reuters |publisher=Republished by China Intellectual Property Lawyers Network |date=January 23, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

On January 29, 2024, before the case reached the jury, Dexon and Cisco reached a global settlement that resolved both the Texas antitrust case and the parallel California counterfeit case without a verdict.<ref name="law360-drop">{{cite news |last=Foretek |first=Jared |title=Reseller Drops Antitrust Countersuit Against Cisco Midtrial |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1791064/reseller-drops-antitrust-countersuit-against-cisco-midtrial |work=Law360 |date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref><ref name="kellogghansen" /> A related insurance-coverage matter, ''Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Travelers Property Casualty Co. of America'', was decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in May 2024.<ref name="dexon-travelers-8th">{{cite web |title=Dexon Computer, Inc. v. Travelers Property Casualty Co. of America, No. 23-1328 (8th Cir. May 20, 2024) |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca8/23-1328/23-1328-2024-05-20.html |website=Justia |date=May 20, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

===Summit 360, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc.===

On May 22, 2025, Summit 360, Inc., another Minnesota-based independent reseller, filed an antitrust complaint against Cisco in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /><ref name="PYMNTS_CPI">{{cite news |title=Cisco Faces Antitrust Lawsuit Over Alleged Monopoly Tactics in Networking Market |url=https://www.pymnts.com/cpi-posts/cisco-faces-antitrust-lawsuit-over-alleged-monopoly-tactics-in-networking-market/ |publisher=PYMNTS / Competition Policy International |date=May 25, 2025 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref> The complaint asserts claims under Section 2 of the Sherman Act, the Minnesota Antitrust Law, and a state-law claim for tortious interference with prospective economic advantage.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> The complaint cites the January 2024 ''Dexon'' summary judgment ruling as authority that Cisco's FUD tactics may form part of an anticompetitive scheme.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" />

The Summit 360 complaint expands on the allegations made in ''Dexon'' by describing additional practices that the complaint characterizes as anticompetitive, including customer audits conducted under EULA and licensing terms, technological restrictions on IOS updates for newer Cisco hardware, and the use of counterfeit allegations against independent resellers.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> As of the date of this article, the case is pending.<ref name="MLex2025">{{cite web |title=Antitrust – Cisco – Summit 360 litigation over alleged monopolization of computer networking market (US) |url=https://www.mlex.com/mlex/case_files/683096ff7b5702e0a9486f86 |publisher=MLex |date=May 2025 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

===Earlier antitrust litigation===

Both the ''Dexon'' and ''Summit 360'' complaints reference earlier antitrust matters involving Cisco. In 2008, Multiven, Inc., a third-party network maintenance provider, filed an antitrust suit against Cisco alleging that Cisco's bundling of software bug fixes with its SmartNet maintenance contracts excluded competition in the after-market for service on Cisco equipment.<ref name="networkworld-multiven">{{cite news |last=McNamara |first=Paul |title=Net maintenance provider sues Cisco over allegedly monopolistic SMARTnet |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2233318/net-maintenance-provider-sues-cisco-over-allegedly-monopolistic-smartnet.html |work=Network World |date=2008 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref> The case settled in August 2010.<ref name="computerworld-multiven">{{cite news |last=Lawson |first=Stephen |title=Cisco settles antitrust suit over software updates |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2519776/cisco-settles-antitrust-suit-over-software-updates.html |work=Computerworld |date=August 2010 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

In 2015, [[wikipedia:Arista Networks|Arista Networks, Inc.]] brought antitrust counterclaims against Cisco in the context of long-running patent litigation between the two companies, alleging that Cisco's pricing of SmartNet functioned as a charge on multivendor networks.<ref name="networkworld-arista">{{cite news |last=Duffy |first=Jim |title=Arista Countersues Cisco, Claiming Antitrust Violations |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/947364/arista-countersues-cisco-for-antitrust.html |work=Network World |date=2015 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref> The court denied Cisco's motion for summary judgment on the antitrust claims, ruling that the evidence was sufficient to proceed to trial.<ref name="Summit360Complaint" /> The two companies reached a comprehensive settlement in August 2018, under which Arista paid Cisco $400 million.<ref name="ReutersAristaSettle">{{cite news |title=Arista to pay $400 million to Cisco to resolve court fight |url=https://www.aol.com/arista-pay-400-million-cisco-resolve-court-fight-154704053--finance.html |publisher=Reuters (via AOL) |author=Jan Wolfe |date=August 6, 2018 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref><ref name="BloombergLawArista">{{cite news |title=Arista to Pay Cisco $400M to Settle Patent, Antitrust Lawsuits |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/arista-to-pay-cisco-400m-to-settle-patent-antitrust-lawsuits/ |publisher=Bloomberg Law |date=August 6, 2018 |access-date=April 29, 2026}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[category:Cisco]]

User talk:Keith

2026-04-30T01:02:33Z

Left4Code: /* Bill JSON link merge issue for API */ Reply

[[User:Alexa|Alexa]] ([[User talk:Alexa|talk]]) 16 May 2025

Hello @[[User:Keith|Keith]],

I'm interested in helping with the wiki, and specifically I have real world example, but would like to check if it's a good fit here or not.

And I can't talk in discord, as it's forcing me to submit my email.

Is this a good place to start conversation on adding new company, and fitness of the case.

Thank you.

∼∼∼∼

Hi @[[User:Alexa|Alexa]]!

No problem at all - go ahead and let me know what your thought is and I'll give you my thoughts on whether/how it fits on the wiki!

[[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 20:03, 17 May 2025 (UTC)

[[User:Alexa|Alexa]] ([[User talk:Alexa|talk]]) 06:36, 18 May 2025 (UTC)

@[[User:Keith|Keith]],

There is company in California that offers indoor skydiving, and obviously they have waiver to sign (with arbitration 😃), but it's not the issue I found there, but that part of that waiver is "consent" to "grant exclusive permission" to take photo/video, and use it in their promotional materials, and there is no way to sign the waiver without consenting to that photo/video permission, online form doesn't allow you to proceed. And even when we went to the place itself, staff said that "corporate doesn't allow them to print out forms to fill out, anymore, and all waivers need to be filled in online", means we can't opt out from that photo/video consent. So my kid ended up not taking that "flight", because we couldn't sign the waiver without consenting to photos.

Thank you.

[[User:Alexa|Alexa]] ([[User talk:Alexa|talk]]) 17 May 2025

@[[User:Alexa|Alexa]]

I think that fits the bill - although it's a smaller company, it fits within the frame of modern consumer protection and demonstrates how draconian the terms for even something like that can be.
Go for it! I'd probably say that this is a case where a company article can be created, and the TOS issue can be neatly summarised within it, as opposed to being a seperate incident article.

Edit: actually, I might have got ahead of myself - is this something which has been covered or discussed annywhere other than by yourself? If not, it may fall foul of the No Original Research rule, although a very basic page which basically just lays out the facts which can be established from their website and TOS, and does not provide any commentary beyond this, might be ok.

[[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 07:55, 18 May 2025 (UTC)

==Re: CAT Documentation==
[[User:Keith|@Keith]] I've replied to your message at [[User talk:Travis]]. Let me know if you'd like to discuss further approaches to organizing the documentation. [[User:Travis|Travis]] ([[User talk:Travis|talk]]) 14:43, 17 January 2025 (UTC)

==Delegating tasks==

Hello Keith,

You said at the meetup that you found it easy to delegate.

This interests me because when I was in business, I found it difficult delegate: did not believe people could not do a good enough job and I would be still responsible for the results.

Is this topic of interest to you?

∼∼∼∼

[[User:Janosabel|Janosabel]] ([[User talk:Janosabel|talk]]) 22:48, 10 February 2025 (UTC)

:I think that in the context of wikis or any kind of community project, one needs to be able to trust others to get anywhere (perhaps with some verification too at times).
:I'm under absolutely no illusion that I can do all or even much of this by myself, and we have some really talented and great people on the team!
:There's no way of achieving the results we'd want without spreading the workload and decision-making responsibility. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 09:33, 11 February 2025 (UTC)
::I understand what you mean.
::Just realised, I was speaking about me half a century ago; and not being able to trust delegees cost me a burnout. Without delegation even if imperfect, what must be done cannot be done.
::Unfortunately I cannot help by contributing to the Wiki for lack of academic training in the required writing style, but put on my talk page a witness account how supermarkets expanding to local areas are killing independent small traders.
::PS. What is the difference between <edit source> and using the <reply> button? [[User:Janosabel|Janosabel]] ([[User talk:Janosabel|talk]]) 20:05, 11 February 2025 (UTC)
:::I think the reply button just opens up a small window of the editor, and applies the signature to the message automatically? I'll have a look at what you mentioned, but I'm not sure it quite fits the theme of the Wiki, as we're keeping it focused on anti-consumer activities, rather than general issues with corporate behaviour.
:::And yes, I'll be careful on burnout! I want to avoid the combination of this and my day job driving me mad... [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 23:02, 14 February 2025 (UTC)

==Thanks and silly questions==

Hi Keith,

thanks for adding me to the confirmed users. Total newbie here, i have no idea how to properly contribute. I tried to start a discussion in the Category Leagislation Africa, not sure if it was posted.

Should i ask it directly here? or keep it in that category?

Mika, Madagascar. [[User:Mikadago|Mikadago]] ([[User talk:Mikadago|talk]]) 11:42, 16 August 2025 (UTC)

:I'm happy to reply there, though it will take a few mins to put together an answer and provide some guidance on where best to include the information [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 13:28, 16 August 2025 (UTC)

==Is the main Miku article ready to have the stub removed?==

[[Miku]]

I've been working on getting to Miku article to a better place, is there anything else you think I should add to it before the stub is removed? [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 01:20, 17 August 2025 (UTC)

:Happy to remove the incomplete notice as it's defeinitely better sourced now, but I think it might be s good idea for you to have a look at how the controversies/incidents section is laid out on the [[Netflix]] article, as the way it's done in the Miku article is a little strange, especially with the 'this article sumarizes' bits at the start of paragraphs
:In any case, thank you for the good work! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:46, 17 August 2025 (UTC)

==Why was my page deleted?==

I also see no notices or notifications in regard to this. I thought the whole point of this was for transparency? [[User:Slab Man|Slab Man]] ([[User talk:Slab Man|talk]]) 21:12, 17 August 2025 (UTC)

:From what I can tell you created the article with, other than the information from the form, just a couple of sentences containing an accusation without any citation or reference to support it. After around 12 hours, Mr Pollo added a deletion notice to the article, as there was virtually no information contained in the article. After a couple more days, as the article had not been edited or improved, it was deleted.
:I can't speak to the lack of notifications - usually whenever an article you've been involved in is edited, it will show up in your inbox in the top right of the screen. It's possible that the full deletion of the article resulted in it removing the notifications; I'm not exactly sure of how that interaction works [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 23:01, 17 August 2025 (UTC)
::Well I planned to add more details and citations when I had time. It can't be a draft/work in progress? You have to write everything in one go? [[User:Slab Man|Slab Man]] ([[User talk:Slab Man|talk]]) 04:44, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
:::The wiki generally expects an article to have at least a few references and all of the template parts at least partially filled in within the first few days of an article's creation. [[User:JamesTDG|JamesTDG]] ([[User talk:JamesTDG|talk]]) 05:59, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
:::I'll second what James said, and also add that it's possible to create draft pages within your user space. You do this by adding 'user:[yourname]/' to the start of the page name. This keeps it out of mainspace, meaning it is not searchable by the main search bar.
:::Currently this policy you've encountered is unwritten, so I'll add it to the moderator guidelines shortly. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 06:30, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
::::Noted. It would be great if there was a regular draft function like in almost every software. (So this doesn’t happen to other new users after their first contribution.) Honestly, after you deleted it, it felt like my contribution is unwanted. [[User:Slab Man|Slab Man]] ([[User talk:Slab Man|talk]]) 04:31, 21 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::That's fair enough - we should add some more text to the article creation flow which explains how user space works, how to make a draft article, and what the policy for handling new articles is. If you'd like, I can get the text from the deleted article and put it on your user talk page or something so you can pick it up from where you left off? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 10:37, 21 August 2025 (UTC)
::::::Thank you that would be great. Looking forward to helping out! [[User:Slab Man|Slab Man]] ([[User talk:Slab Man|talk]]) 18:32, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

==Interenet Archive stub notice seems badly placed==

Hi @[[User:Keith|Keith]], the stub notice on [[Internet Archive]] seems to be after the lead section and not before it. Can you please fix this? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:40, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

:Done! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:23, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

==Question about re-use of sources for LiveView Article==

Hey Keith,

I noticed that for the [[LiveView Technologies AI Surveillance]] article, the same source has been re-used multiple times but shows up with a different citation number. Namely the citations number 6,32, and 33 are duplicates of 4 (LVT Use Cases in Law Enforcement), 14 is a duplicate of 5 (AI-Driven Mobile Security for Every Threat), 35 is a duplicate of 8 (Fusion Centers), and 21 is a duplicate of 20 (Mobile cameras deployed at Monroe County Office Building amid security concerns)

Also the links are missing the archive URLs in the references and some don't have author first and last name or date where they are available on the site or the date is incorrect.

I have a version of the article which shrinks the list of references (citation 33 is now a re-use of citation 4 for that section for example) and also has the relevant archive links and names and dates for each reference where possible.

Should I commit the change? I know that this article may be looked at be people very soon and I'd rather get your approval to change it and have you ready to roll-back or append to it in case you don't like it. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 18:47, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

:I think I'm going to commit the change now, you're free to revert it or check it over in case I messed something up. In the event this article is mentioned at City hall on Thursday, I want it to be the best it can be.
:Thank you for helping with the wiki. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 19:03, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
::Thank you! and yeah, if you notice small formating issues (especially with an article louis has been working on :P ) just go ahead and make the change - that's the way of the wiki! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:41, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Small formatting issues or other non-obvious things like referencing problems* [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:41, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

==Proposal to add a section for organized meetings. (might be a better name for this)==

Hey Keith, I hope I'm not posting here again too early.

I thought about how every time Louis wants to generate interest for a particular issue with regards to getting viewers to organize, most of the time he has to do a video on it and these calls for organization when fighting for a particular issue (such as LVT tomorrow) are based in the United States.

I don't know if this already exists on the wiki (if it does, i'd like to know where it is), but do you think it would be a good idea to create a page specifically for posting the dates and instructions for showing up to demonstrations or hearings for the purposes of pushing back against anti-consumer or anti-privacy related issues? (This could be world-wide).

If someone from the UK for example wanted to organize a demonstration or have people speak at or attend an open council meeting, they would edit a row of a wiki table and list the time of the demonstration, an additional page describing the instructions or requirements to attend, and the issue that will be talked about (similar to rossmanngroup.com/clippyone).

I feel that with something like this, organizing both members of the public and members of the wiki regardless of country would be much easier and could provide a centralized and updated list of upcoming events based on user submission and moderator approval.

Let me know what you think about something like this when you're free to reply, I'd like to hear your thoughts in addition to anyone else who sees this and wants to talk about it. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 17:11, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

:It's definitely on the edge of what makes sense here, but I think that it's worth considering as it could well be useful. Might be something that will end up being done through FULU though in the end... maybe some kind of 'events noticeboard' a bit like the moderator notice could work? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 20:25, 27 August 2025 (UTC)
::An "events noticeboard" in the way you describe it with moderation is exactly what I was thinking. You're right about how it should be done through FULU directly instead of the wiki, that's a better idea.
::Thanks for your input, I appreciate it. I was just wondering if it was a completely off-the-wall idea. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 23:16, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

==BT article==

Hello Keith, remember [[BT's Digital Voice service in the UK isn't good for the Elderly|this article]]? I pinged you 16 days ago but it seems that it didn’t work and I’ve forgotten about it since. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:27, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

:Thanks for the reminder! as we were both in agreement, I removed the article. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 06:48, 17 September 2025 (UTC)

==Privacy notice change==

Hello Keith, I was looking through things in the Mediawiki namespace to see how backend works, when I noticed the [[Mediawiki:Footer-privacy-notice]] page and it reminded me of [[Talk:Main Page#stating "Recently updated" not particularly helpful|this on the main page]]. Can we change it quickly or does it need to be done backend? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:37, 20 September 2025 (UTC)

:We're going to do a policy update and a full review of that stuff when we update the backend tomorrow, so I'll make sure it's handled [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:01, 20 September 2025 (UTC)

==Protect Template:Welcome==

Hello, am contacting you directly as I think it is the best way to make this happen, but PLEASE protect Template:Welcome, I doubt we'll get vandalism on there but if we do and it sends a message with it we're done for... [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:06, 13 October 2025 (UTC)

:Oh, also can you make the bot substitute (make the template not change on that page even after it gets updated) the templates for the sake of preservation of the page? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:08, 13 October 2025 (UTC)
::Thanks @[[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] for getting that first one!
::I think I get what you mean re. the substitution, but have no idea how to do it. Will look into it [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:30, 14 October 2025 (UTC)
:Done. Thanks for bringing it up! I'm not sure about your second question though, so I'll leave that to Keith. [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 18:26, 13 October 2025 (UTC)
::Second one is complicated, but the first one is the only important one. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:39, 13 October 2025 (UTC)

==Is it fine for me to get an alternate account?==

Edit: Have no clue why I'd need this in practice, so forget about it. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 15:33, 20 October 2025 (UTC)

:no worries. In answer to your question, as long as we're notified, and there are no sockpuppetry shenanigans, then the answer is yes. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 15:39, 22 October 2025 (UTC)

==Do you mind if I use AutoWikiBrowser on the CRW?==

Hello, I recently heard about a tool called [[wikipedia:WP:AWB|AutoWikiBrowser]] which is a semi-automated tool meant to help for repetitive smaller edits which I do a lot, do you mind if I use it and if you don't mind, should I use an alternate account for it (maybe with 'bot flag' even though it's not a bot so it doesn't show??) Edit: Also, the page to get this, [[Special:BotPasswords|BotPasswords]], lets you change grants for people/things with the password, so is it okay to let people/things with the password edit protected pages (for things like typo-fixing Project namespace pages)? It is risky if it is obtained.[[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 15:23, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

:Happy for you to use that! sounds like a great tool. No strong opinions on whetehr you make a separate account for it [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:11, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
::On the passwords front, I'm not sure how exactly that works. Does it give you the ability to use your own account via API? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:14, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Yes, botpasswords is pretty much that. It lets you change permissions too, so I can give it only specific permissions for safety reasons. Also, as for the ‘seperate account thing’ Botpasswords (the one that I can use) gives me a new account anyway so there’s no reason for it, just me misunderstanding the usage. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 14:16, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
::::Cool, that sounds fine then! do you need me to do anything to get it set up? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:20, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::No, I’ll do it myself when I next get a chance on my PC (without any special perms as I don’t know why I’d need that!) [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 14:21, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

==Found Large Amount of 404 links for flock article==

Page link: [[Flock license plate readers]]

Hey Keith,

I was checking the sources in the above article and noticed that for a large section of it, the sources will lead directly to pages which either don't exist or result in 404. I really hope that this is just a problem on my end and isn't really the case. Below is the complete list of all sources I found that lead to 404'd pages. On the actual article page, I have also marked the following with the status of usurped for the time being.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Ref #

!Title

!Issue

!Archive state

!Link

|-
|20
|"How Vehicle Fingerprint Technology Works"
|404
|no archive
|
https://www.flocksafety.com/resources/how-vehicle-fingerprint-technology-works
|-
|21
|
"License Plate Surveillance Company Can Now Capture Images of Vehicle Occupants' Faces"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.404media.co/flock-safety-can-now-capture-faces-of-vehicle-occupants/
|-
|
22
|
"Transforming Flock: Beyond License Plate Reading to Deliver Greater Insights for Solving Crime"
|
404
|
no archive
|

https://www.flocksafety.com/newsroom/transforming-flock-beyond-license-plate-reading-to-deliver-greater-insights-for-solving-crime/
|-
|
24
|
"Atlas of Surveillance: Flock Safety"
|
goes to deeplinks blog, but no article
|
no archive
|
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/04/atlas-surveillance-flock-safety
|-
|
25
|
"Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle v. Baltimore Police Department"
|
404
|no archive
|

https://www.eff.org/cases/leaders-beautiful-struggle-v-baltimore-police-department
|-
|
26
|
"Carpenter and the Evolving Fourth Amendment"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.law.georgetown.edu/american-criminal-law-review/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/01/60-1-Carpenter-and-the-Evolving-Fourth-Amendment.pdf
|-
|
27
|
"Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle v. Baltimore Police Department"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67689711/leaders-of-a-beautiful-struggle-v-baltimore-police-department/
|-
|28
|
"Illinois Compiled Statutes - Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act"
|
404
|
no archive
|

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3541&ChapterID=53
|-
|
29
|
"RSA 236:130 Automated License Plate Recognition"
|
potential 404
|
no archive
|
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXI/236/236-130.htm
|-
|
32
|
"Surveillance firm provided ICE access to license plate reader systems"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jul/15/flock-safety-ice-license-plate-reader
|-
|
33
|
"How Flock Safety is Building a Surveillance Network for ICE"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/03/flock-safety-and-ice
|-
|
34
|
"ICE Surveillance of Immigrants and Advocates"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://americanoversight.org/investigation/ice-surveillance-of-immigrants-and-advocates/
|-
|
35
|
"ACLU Obtains Records Showing ICE Using License Plate Readers in Sanctuary Cities"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.aclunc.org/news/aclu-obtains-records-showing-ice-using-license-plate-readers-sanctuary-cities
|-
|
36
|
"License Plate Readers Are Creating a US-Wide Database of More Than Just Cars"
|404
|no archive
|
https://www.vice.com/en/article/license-plate-readers-abortion-clinics-texas
|-
|37
|"Reproductive Surveillance in Post-Roe America"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.surveillancewatch.io/reproductive-surveillance-post-roe/
|-
|38
|"State Shield Laws and Reproductive Privacy"
|dead site
|no archive
|https://reproductiverights.gov/shield-laws/
|-
|39
|"Flock Safety Employees Caught Misusing Access to Surveillance Network"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.wired.com/story/flock-safety-employees-misuse-access/
|-
|40
|"Audit Reveals Hundreds of Flock Safety Privacy Violations"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.techdirt.com/2024/05/15/audit-reveals-hundreds-of-flock-safety-privacy-violations/
|-
|41
|"When License Plate Readers Become Tools for Stalking"
|404
|no archive
|https://apnews.com/article/license-plate-readers-police-misuse-stalking
|-
|42
|"Detroit Officer Fired for Using City Cameras to Track Ex-Wife"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2024/03/officer-fired-tracking-ex-wife/
|-
|43
|"Proactive Security Disclosure Q2 2025"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/proactive-security-disclosure-q2-2025
|}
If you discover no issues (or the formatting of this table turns out horrible and breaks your talk page), disregard this and remove my topic from your page. And revert the change I made to the article where I marked the mentioned links as usurped.

Hopefully if these sites really lead to nothing and it's not just me, then the table makes it easy for you to do something. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 02:52, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

:Had a bit of a dig and my suspicion, expecially since these references are all next to each other, is that there was probably some AI chicanery in the making of the article.
:Seem to be poitentially based on real pages, e.g. this one:
:https://www.eff.org/document/fourth-circuit-ruling-leaders-beautiful-struggle-v-baltimore-police-department
:is probably meant to be #25 instead of what is currently there
:I'd recommend sticking this table on the Flock talk page (if you haven't already) and letting people know they might need to look for what these links are meant to be [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:19, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
::I went ahead and added the table to the discussion tab. Should there be a notice at the top of the Flock page to make people aware? Or leave it as is? [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 17:42, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Nevermind about the notice. The references were small enough to not need them for the most part. I started working on fixing some of them [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 18:30, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

==Oversighted something==

Hello, Keith! I just wanted to let you know I just gave myself the 'suppressor' user right as I oversighted what I think could be your IP address for privacy reasons. The info is at [[Special:Diff/805]]. If it isn't your IP address, feel free to revert what I just did. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 11:32, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

:I think it might have been (though very good chance it was some temp VPN/mobile IP address). In any case, thank you for spotting it! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 12:09, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

==being able to edit Discussions==

hey so I just discovered I can edit discussions. not only mine but any1 elses. is this an oversight? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 20:23, 4 December 2025 (UTC)

:Not sure - might just be how wikis are (given that edit logs are public, it's pretty easy to combat anyone trying to abuse it, same as with article vandalism)
:I'll page in @[[User:UntoK|UntoK]] in case it's something that isn't how it should be [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 23:13, 4 December 2025 (UTC)
::Nah, that's MediaWiki. Nothing unusual there. Edit Source is actually the default way to edit discussions in MediaWiki, but the interface is changed by an extension (forgot the name), so that it shows as this instead of just the edit source button. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 15:37, 5 December 2025 (UTC)
:::dk y I didn't notice that b4. I've been on and off w contribs so thought smth changed since my last visit. anyhow thanks for clearing up the concern. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:00, 8 December 2025 (UTC)

=="fixing" recent changes==

since the introduction of [[Template:Welcome]], [[Special:RecentChanges]] has become a graveyard of User:Talks that I have to sift through in order to double check people's work. can we please block [[User:New_user_message]] from showing up on there?

edit: the bot bypasses the "Human (not bot) active filter
[[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 22:12, 26 December 2025 (UTC)

:yeah, that's a localsettings.php part that Keith can pass on to Unto. setting $wgNewUserSuppressRC to true should work. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 10:50, 1 January 2026 (UTC)
::as a temp fix, [https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Special:RecentChanges?hidebots=1&namespace=3&invert=1&limit=100&days=7&enhanced=1&urlversion=2 this] should work [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 10:54, 1 January 2026 (UTC)
:::legend. thank you [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:43, 1 January 2026 (UTC)
::::Hi @[[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] - took a bit of a break over the holidays so sorry for not replying. I'll contact Unto and see if he can take a look [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:12, 5 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::Fair enough! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:49, 5 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::any update? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 17:55, 12 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::I've put Unto on it but no update. I'll chase him [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:30, 13 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::Darth Sidious says "do it". [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:36, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::any update? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 23:08, 27 February 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::I think it's been fixed? I don't see New User Message clogging up the feed anymore [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:54, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::::I certainly remember that we tried to fix it, and I think it seemed to work [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:54, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::::oh... I was using ACRP's temp fix so I did not realize and thought it was still broken lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:06, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

==*sigh*==

Where are the projects (again)? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:04, 19 January 2026 (UTC)

:deja vu? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:42, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
::[[Consumer_Rights_Wiki_talk:Moderators%27_noticeboard#*sigh*|oh]] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:48, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
:::LOL, made me chuckle seeing your replies! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:55, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
::::hey as a wise man once said "if you are good at something, never do it for free". that'll be $5 my friend [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:05, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::yeah, replied on the noticeboard, but just adding here - I think an update must have broken it. have contacted Unto [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 01:07, 20 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::@[[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] @[[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] Fixed! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:52, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

==sorry for the ping==

I used the intro text from [[Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection]] to add to the Incidents section for each of the mentioned companies. In the edit summary I linked you. Ik that @ and [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 22:33, 21 January 2026 (UTC) ping the user but idk abt linking. regardless sorry abt the pings

:th happened here? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 22:34, 21 January 2026 (UTC)
::No worries! I don't think @s in edit summaries cause pings anyway [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 22:37, 21 January 2026 (UTC)

==alternative to Discord==

I don't use Discord. many members of the wiki don't use Discord. can't talk on their behalf but I can mine. if there was a Matrix or heck Signal gc (lol), I'd love to be a part of it. are there any plans for migration off Discord or perhaps providing w an alternative they'd be more comfortable with? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:32, 23 January 2026 (UTC)

:We're hoping to get a Zulip bridge with the Discord in the next couple of months. This would allow people to essentially join the Discord without joining the Discord, with the exception of a couple of features like bot commands and voice channels. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:19, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::lovely looking forward to it [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 09:44, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::is the Zulip bridge still under consideration following the impending age verification push in March? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 23:07, 27 February 2026 (UTC)
::::I've not heard of Zulip but it sounds like some sort of proxy? I'd prefer something like Matrix but that seems great too. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:44, 28 February 2026 (UTC)
:::::Zulip is a bit like a matrix/discord-y thing, and we'd use plugins to essentially crosspost everything that's sent to it to the discord and vice versa. It's still coming along but I've been crap and haven't got the server paid up yet. will try and do this next week and we can hopefully get it up shortly. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:45, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::Just in case yous hadn't noticed it on the main page @[[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] @[[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]], we're moving our monthly hangout meetings from discord to zoom so as to include more of the community, and you're both welcome to join! first one is at 20:00 UTC tomorrow. if you pop me an email over to help@consumerrights.wiki, I'll send you the zoom link (son't want to posted publicly for obvious reasons) [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:50, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::I've seen that, I'm not interested in joining though. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:21, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::oh I totally missed that. I'll shoot over an email and add it to my calendar but dk if I'll be able to join. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:09, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::Apologies for not seeing this sooner - I'll send over a link just now! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:34, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::Hi, any update on the Zulip bridge? Sorry for asking after such a short time but I'd really like to use it! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:24, 5 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::@[[User:Keith|Keith]] any update still? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 12:44, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::Jake's on it - we've been going back and forth over whether to have a managed instance or self hosted - sry for the kerfuffle! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:34, 13 March 2026 (UTC)

==Can you help moving my page==

Sorry I said this 3 times or more, I got confused, can you move please, I moved it in wrong place, may I ask should I ask here instead of the pages I placed [[User:^&*|^&*]] ([[User talk:^&*|talk]]) 21:23, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

:Thank you but should I create it in the user page just to clarify [[User:^&*|^&*]] ([[User talk:^&*|talk]]) 21:34, 25 February 2026 (UTC)
::Don't want to be nuisance that all when doing my article [[User:^&*|^&*]] ([[User talk:^&*|talk]]) 21:35, 25 February 2026 (UTC)
:::I've replied on your user page - think it should be alright now? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:38, 25 February 2026 (UTC)
::::your user talk page* [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:38, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

==Adding categories==

Hello, please don't add categories in the visual editor as it doesn't work, instead simply type <code><nowiki>[[Category:CATEGORYNAME]]</nowiki></code> and replace CATEGORYNAME with the name of the category, otherwise it won't work. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:57, 4 March 2026 (UTC)

:Apologies, thank you! I usually use source but I think there I just hit 'edit' by accident as was trying to set it up quickly. just so you know, I've replied to stefan's questions on the page he moved - thank you for moving the page he created! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 17:31, 4 March 2026 (UTC)

==Regarding a recent article I created==

Hello, Keith! I have finally decided to become a contributor here. The article I've been working on is [[Happy Bar & Grill biometric surveillance tool development|Happy Bar & Grill Biometric Surveillance]]. However, when someone I've sent the link to opens it, they see the version that was last updated before I created my profile. What could be causing this? I apologise for any lack of knowledge on my part. [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 18:23, 4 March 2026 (UTC)

:Unfortunately this is a problem with cloudflare's caching. If you wait a short while, or they log in, they should see the updated version. We've found a solution and will be shipping it with the next version of the wiki so that page edits are instantly reflected in cached versions of pages. Until then, it's just a case of waiting a while or logging in (logging in bypasses the cache as it needs to load user-specific elements). Great work on the article by the way! Just as a heads up, we're happy to have sources in non-english languages, so if you find any Bulgarian sources discussing it, those would be great to add to the article to demonstrate notability. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 18:42, 4 March 2026 (UTC)
::Oops, apparently I was spreading misinformation on the internet regarding the exact reasons for it not being cached, but the gist is still the same, which is that logged-in users bypass the cache! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 18:48, 4 March 2026 (UTC)
::Thank you for the swift reply and the explanation! It's so refreshing to see people working hard and helping others for a good cause. Also very happy to hear that you like how the article has turned out so far. I've extensively searched for any other sources regarding the issue, but found nothing. I guess someone has to start the discussion! :D
::Just to confirm: is the wiki English-only? I'd love to make the article more accessible to my compatriots, but I suppose I'll just tell them to use the automatic translation option on their browser. [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 21:05, 4 March 2026 (UTC)
:::The wiki is english only yeah, for moderation purposes (we don't have a team that's reliably able to check the quality of non-english articles). if you wanted, though, we'd be happy for you to put a bulgarian version in your user space (i.e. the page lives at consumerrights.wiki/w/User:Juuns/[pagename]) - just make sure to put a note in english at the top so that none of the mods mistake it for a spam article! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 22:48, 4 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Hey there, thanks for the advice! Is that alright? https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Iw/User:Juuns/%D0%91%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%BE_%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BB%D1%8E%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D0%B2_Happy_Bar_%26_Grill_-_bg_translation_of_an_existing_article/&veaction=edit [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 08:35, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::Yep! The URL looks cursed written out like that lol but it's in the right place [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:24, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::Hello again, Keith!
::::::I and the small team I've created have made huge progress regarding the surveillance situation at Happy Bar and Dinner. We posted the wiki on the r/bulgaria subreddit, and it topped the daily chart in less than three hours. People are outraged.
::::::I've managed to contact an advocate from the opposition here who agreed to share the wiki on her Facebook page (over 10,000 followers). She also agreed to work with me to make the topic go viral and will send this to other human rights and anti-mafia activists in Bulgaria. We've planned to create several videos in various forms regarding the issue.
::::::I am writing with a big request that would be extremely beneficial to my cause and the wiki: Could you contact Louis Rossmann and share the wiki with him? Alternatively, you could connect him to me so I can tell him more about it.
::::::I understand this is a big request, but I would be very thankful for your help :) [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 18:43, 11 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::That's great! I've passed the info on, and will let you know the response
:::::::This is exactly how I've been hoping to see the wiki be used, so I'm really excited that it's getting picked up! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:20, 12 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::Hello again, Keith. Things are spreading like wildfire and are getting very heated. An official position from Happy Bar & Grill has been released. They are aggressively denying the claims, but their statement actually contains several contradictions that validate my research rather than disprove it.
::::::::In their official position, Happy Bar & Grill claims to have already notified the wiki's administrators (you and Rossmann, I suppose), issuing what they describe as a "categorical demand" for the removal of all alleged misinformation within a 24-hour ultimatum. Could you confirm if such a notice was received? A corporation issuing a 24-hour take-down ultimatum to an independent documentation project before any independent audit or regulatory investigation has taken place is simply outrageous.
::::::::Some of the main points I wanted to cover:
::::::::First, there is a major timeline discrepancy. Happy claims they received an offer from GI Mobility Services (linked to IP Biometrix? I cannot find any information about them, and other people have come up with nothing as well) in 2023 and officially rejected it on 14 December 2023. However, my archived evidence from IP Biometrix's portfolio shows a screenshot dated 9 November 2024—almost a year after they claim to have rejected the proposal. If they truly rejected the system in 2023, why does the vendor's portfolio display active implementation data from late 2024? Why was the article on their page until 2026? Also, there was an image displaying logos of partner companies still on IP Biometrix's page until 11 March 2026. They took that down just a few hours! This suggests either the system was further tested despite the rejection, or their timeline is fabricated to cover ongoing processing. My main hypothesis right now is that GI Mobility Services is the old version of IP Biometrix. IP Biometrix is a very new company, established at the end of 2023, just around the time of the implied rejected proposal.
::::::::Second, their statement completely omits any mention of "Burrata Italiana," despite it being owned by the same group. Is this supposed to be implied? My evidence specifically identifies the biometric dashboard screenshots as originating from the Burrata Italiana location in Varna.
::::::::Third, the article on Boulevard Bulgaria (one of the most shared articles regarding the topic), in my eyes, appears to be paid or ordered content, mirroring Happy's language almost verbatim without independent verification. It is even on their top page (archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/20260312235007/https://boulevardbulgaria.bg/). Meanwhile, they are attempting to discredit consumerrights.wiki by calling it an unverified anonymous wiki. THIS ATTACKS THE INTEGRITY OF THE WHOLE PLATFORM! I must stand firm that I am NOT spreading misinformation; I am documenting archived vendor evidence and public records. For the past couple of hours, I have made as many archives as possible for any news articles, blogs, and information regarding this.
::::::::They are trying to suppress the discussion before it has begun, but I believe it's too late. Many people have already shared this on social media and are also quite sceptical of Happy's response. A deeper dive into IP Biometrix as a whole is needed to check whether other companies also use such a system. They are very shady; they have many other "partners." They are the main issue. I will try to update the page with their denial as soon as possible, but contextualise it with these contradictions so readers see the full picture.
::::::::For your reference, here are some of the key articles circulating regarding this situation:
::::::::Post in r/bulgaria: Where it all started. After this thread was made, this issue gained massive traction in no time, featuring thousands of views and hundreds of comments from concerned citizens, topping the weekly chart in less than 24 hours: https://www.reddit.com/r/bulgaria/comments/1rqxn90/%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8_%D0%B7%D0%B0_%D1%81%D1%8A%D0%B1%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B5_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D0%B2_%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%BF%D0%B8/
::::::::Boulevard Bulgaria: This article mirrors the official corporate release almost verbatim and lacks independent verification. It appears to be coordinated PR rather than journalism: https://boulevardbulgaria.bg/articles/happy-tvardeniyata-che-verigata-sledi-klientite-si-s-ai-kameri-sa-absolyutno-neverni
::::::::Mobile Bulgaria: General news coverage discussing the allegations and the company's response. https://mobilebulgaria.com/news/izpolzva-li-happy-bar-grill-litsevo-razpoznavane-s-ai-v-restorantite-si
::::::::Kaldata: Technical analysis and reporting on the AI camera systems in restaurants and the company's response. https://www.kaldata.com/it-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8/ai-%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5-%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7-650764.html
::::::::Other useful information:
::::::::IP Biometrix: Their current website shows no information or response regarding the events. https://ip-biometrix.com/
::::::::Confirmation that this is indeed "Burrata Italiana Varna" in Varna, Bulgaria: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Burrata+Italiana+Varna/@43.1962014,27.9154998,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x40a453f66ec877b1:0x1331c25a3c536926!8m2!3d43.1962014!4d27.9180747!16s%2Fg%2F11js3ffhz7?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D; [[:File:IP Biometrix AI surveillance dashboard.png]]
::::::::There are other outlets covering this as well, but these are the primary sources needed. I am disgusted by Happy's answer and Boulevard Bulgaria's PR-like article. Please inform Louis to check the email I've sent about this issue; I've formulated all the needed information there. I am furious. [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 01:15, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::Crucial note: While the filename indicates November 2024, this date relies on the vendor's naming convention and cannot be forensically verified. Additionally, there is another screenshot in the article from that same date (Screenshot-2024-11-09-121619.png), which may indicate that the screenshots were made when the article was posted rather than during live operation." [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 02:27, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::Unfortunately, I cannot dedicate unlimited time to maintaining and updating this page alone given the rapid developments. I would greatly appreciate any help regarding that. :) [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 02:34, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::yep, we've recieved it alright. I'm reworking the article a bit at the moment, to ensure that it's a bit more neutral, fits our editorial policies etc., and does not make any original claims beyond those contained in sources. My current understanding is that there is no evidence that the system has been deployed at scale, as such I'm moving/renaming the article and rewording some of the content.
:::::::::I'd appreciate if you could keep your bg translation up-to-date with the changes made to the english article (or find someone who is able to do so) to make sure that it's in-line as well. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 07:08, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::I've edited and added as much context as I could to both articles for now. I'm going to take a little break for the rest of the day. Thanks a lot for your support and dedication to this issue and the wiki as a whole. Talk to you soon! [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 09:56, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::::Lastly for now, could you move the translation to change the title? Разработка на биометричен инструмент за наблюдение на Happy Bar & Grill/Burrata. I suggest specifying Burrata in the English version as well, as we have implication from the company's response that the screenshot of the monitoring is real and not fabricated (pleas read their official response thoroughly before doing anything). [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 10:03, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::::update on the above - i fucked up my original edit I was referring to in the above comment, and for some reason it didn't get committed to the article. I've re-made it now. it basically walks back some of the claims where the article was making strong inferences and interpretations of what the sources were saying, to ensure that we're not speculating (given the nature of the site as a wiki, we should not generally be doing original interpretation of sources in articles, especially where they relate to practices carried out by a company)
::::::::::::I read a translation of the statement (seems like the full version is posted to MobileBulgaria) and have been basing my understanding on that. feel free to come back to me if I've misinterpreted it to a significant extent [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 07:47, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

==Stub Pains==

Hey Keith,

I'm way out of my depth here with these stub notices, I added a stub to two new articles I made not realizing they would literally prevent my ability to add any text to the article.

links: [[AirPods connection vulnerability]] | [[AirPods Max moisture issue]]

When I attempt to make a change to the article, I was getting a stub deletion error. If I did something wrong, would you be able to explain what exactly happened with this so it doesn't happen again? [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 06:55, 6 March 2026 (UTC)

:(IN CASE YOU COULDN'T NOTICE, I'M NOT KEITH!) This is a common issue that users have had for a very long time now. If you edit anywhere before or on the line of the stub notice, something called the abuse filter says "nope, lol, nice try" and blocks the edit. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 07:18, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
::Should work now. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 07:20, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
:Ah, I think I did the same thing as ACRP, but the stub notices are now on their own line and not touching anything else, so there shouldn't be any further issues [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:30, 6 March 2026 (UTC)

==Publicising RfCs==

Hello, the RfCs you made haven't gotten any attention. Should we publicise them better? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 15:34, 6 March 2026 (UTC)

:Yeah, I'll set up some kind of hub that includes pages with the RfC category or something. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:23, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
::ok, I made a category for open and closed RfCs, transcluded them on a page, and linked to it from the policy index. idk if there's anywhere else it should be? I guess it's probably worth mentioning on some of the guide-y pages [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:44, 6 March 2026 (UTC)

==Arbys article weird ref issue==

[[Arby's]]

hey keith, when I look at the arby's article, it says in the references, ref goes here, but then when I try to edit it out, it goes away. is there any way to fix this? If you figure out a way, I'd love to know. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 16:09, 11 March 2026 (UTC)

:That ref is caused by [[Template:Ph-C-Int]]. Remove that and the ref will disappear as well. You can't delete the ref without deleting the box. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 09:39, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
::Thank you for the help, I've replaced the box with a simple message to do the summary. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 02:46, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

==Bill JSON link merge issue for API==

[[Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption]] [low priority issue]

Some citations involving API requests and pulling JSON have the selector merged with the actual link, resulting in a direct click of the link returning a non-valid result.

Example: Ref #19 links: https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname), when everything after the question mark should be non-linked, and the original link should have everything after the question mark removed. Then click check should return valid JSON objects.

I've added the following string to all references where I believe this appears, I've only gone through half the list however: "!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!"

If there are any other instances of this happening, I'll make another minor edit, feel free to revert if there's actually no real problem and I'm going insane.

It really would be nice to do the JSON parsing within the actual link and have the API return the valid results, unfortunate. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 03:35, 29 April 2026 (UTC)

:Also, I can't seem to follow the instructions for reference #16 https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby/ [low priority issue]
:"To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Bill Search," enter "SB26-090" as the bill number, and select the 2025-2026 session. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026."
:My attempt to verify (results in error): "Bill/resolution number is invalid. Example: for bill number 12-002 enter as 002."
:#1: to go link in instructions
:#2: click search by bill number, land on https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby/SearchSubject.do
:#3: bill resolution: empty | session 2026 (also tried 2025) | bill resolution number (tried 26-090, 090, 90, SB26-090)
:If you or the original person referencing this page (I think Louis?) Knows how to actually return something that isn't red error text, I'd love to know. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 03:44, 29 April 2026 (UTC)
::Yeah, that was Louis - I'll prod him on it [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:38, 29 April 2026 (UTC)
::Ok, worked out the correct instructions for this one - you need to put 'senate bill' in the dropdown, 2026 in the session, and then 090 in the number. the name SB26-090 stands for 'Senate Bill 2026 - 090'.
::will add to the article in a sec [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:53, 29 April 2026 (UTC)
:::Hey Keith, I modified the instructions, hopefully it makes more sense now. I also noticed that the source for the recording of the hearing (ref #43): https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982 says the meeting has been deleted. I'm wondering if there's another link to the recording (and hopefully an archive)
:::I think this is one of the more important recordings, as it shows that the senator actually said what it quoted. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 01:02, 30 April 2026 (UTC)

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-30T00:57:39Z

Left4Code: Final archives

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |last=Monahan |first=Jack |date=2024 |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association)}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |author=Ashworth |first=Boone |date=2026-04-02 |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260426201220/https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |archive-date=2026-04-26 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Wired}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427021341/https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220622/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415102419/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB23-1011 |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801033011/https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220611/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260404184350/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-090 |archive-date=2026-04-04 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2013 |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427192633/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=The White House}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |date=August 2020 |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260429025518/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |archive-date=2026-04-29 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=CISA}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260107192926/https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |archive-date=2026-01-07 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260328075554/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |archive-date=2026-03-28 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Search by Bill Number," enter "090" as the bill number, and select the 2026 session. Choose "Senate Bill" as Bill/Resolution Prefix. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260429030955/https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json |archive-date=2026-04-29 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260105142527/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj/about_data |archive-date=2026-01-05 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>[https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?] $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code></ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code></ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260326053732/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |archive-date=2026-03-26 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |author=Chamberlain |first=Elizabeth |date=2026-04-01 |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260403085840/https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2026-04-03 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=iFixit}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
*Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
*Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
*Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
*This is typically the highest-cost option
*Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
*Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
*This is typically the lowest-cost option
*Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
*Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
*There is a steep learning curve for new systems
*Staff may not have the technical ability
*The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
*There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
*There are typically high-quality technical staff
*This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
*Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
*This requires an IAA signed by leadership
*The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
*Typically high-quality technical staff
*This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
*This requires a separate service contract
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260430005429/https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view |archive-date=2026-04-30 |access-date=2026-04-30}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260322213024/https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |archive-date=2026-03-22 |access-date=2026-04-30 |publisher=Texas Legislature Online}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-30T00:41:43Z

Left4Code: more SODA API fixes, if verify is broken revert this change

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |last=Monahan |first=Jack |date=2024 |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association)}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |author=Ashworth |first=Boone |date=2026-04-02 |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260426201220/https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |archive-date=2026-04-26 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Wired}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427021341/https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220622/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415102419/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB23-1011 |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801033011/https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220611/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260404184350/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-090 |archive-date=2026-04-04 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2013 |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427192633/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=The White House}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |date=August 2020 |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260429025518/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |archive-date=2026-04-29 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=CISA}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260107192926/https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |archive-date=2026-01-07 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260328075554/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |archive-date=2026-03-28 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Search by Bill Number," enter "090" as the bill number, and select the 2026 session. Choose "Senate Bill" as Bill/Resolution Prefix. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260429030955/https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json |archive-date=2026-04-29 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260105142527/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj/about_data |archive-date=2026-01-05 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>[https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?] $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code></ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code></ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |author=Chamberlain |first=Elizabeth |date=2026-04-01 |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260403085840/https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2026-04-03 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=iFixit}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
*Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
*Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
*Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
*This is typically the highest-cost option
*Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
*Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
*This is typically the lowest-cost option
*Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
*Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
*There is a steep learning curve for new systems
*Staff may not have the technical ability
*The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
*There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
*There are typically high-quality technical staff
*This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
*Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
*This requires an IAA signed by leadership
*The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
*Typically high-quality technical staff
*This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
*This requires a separate service contract
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-30T00:32:23Z

Left4Code: SODA API Changes, If verify queries don't work, revert!

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |last=Monahan |first=Jack |date=2024 |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association)}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |author=Ashworth |first=Boone |date=2026-04-02 |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260426201220/https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |archive-date=2026-04-26 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Wired}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427021341/https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220622/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415102419/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB23-1011 |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801033011/https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220611/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260404184350/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-090 |archive-date=2026-04-04 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2013 |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427192633/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=The White House}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |date=August 2020 |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260429025518/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |archive-date=2026-04-29 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=CISA}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260107192926/https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |archive-date=2026-01-07 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260328075554/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |archive-date=2026-03-28 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Search by Bill Number," enter "090" as the bill number, and select the 2026 session. Choose "Senate Bill" as Bill/Resolution Prefix. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260429030955/https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json |archive-date=2026-04-29 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260105142527/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj/about_data |archive-date=2026-01-05 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>[https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?] $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260325000313/https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |archive-date=2026-03-25 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json $select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code></ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |author=Chamberlain |first=Elizabeth |date=2026-04-01 |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260403085840/https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2026-04-03 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=iFixit}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
*Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
*Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
*Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
*This is typically the highest-cost option
*Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
*Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
*This is typically the lowest-cost option
*Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
*Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
*There is a steep learning curve for new systems
*Staff may not have the technical ability
*The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
*There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
*There are typically high-quality technical staff
*This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
*Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
*This requires an IAA signed by leadership
*The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
*Typically high-quality technical staff
*This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
*This requires a separate service contract
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-29T23:43:26Z

Left4Code: [I think I fixed it Keith] + Archives

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |last=Monahan |first=Jack |date=2024 |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association)}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |author=Ashworth |first=Boone |date=2026-04-02 |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260426201220/https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |archive-date=2026-04-26 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Wired}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427021341/https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220622/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415102419/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB23-1011 |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801033011/https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220611/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260404184350/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-090 |archive-date=2026-04-04 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2013 |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427192633/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=The White House}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |date=August 2020 |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260429025518/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |archive-date=2026-04-29 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=CISA}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260107192926/https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |archive-date=2026-01-07 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260328075554/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |archive-date=2026-03-28 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Search by Bill Number," enter "090" as the bill number, and select the 2026 session. Choose "Senate Bill" as Bill/Resolution Prefix. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |author=Chamberlain |first=Elizabeth |date=2026-04-01 |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260403085840/https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2026-04-03 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=iFixit}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
*Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
*Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
*Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
*This is typically the highest-cost option
*Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
*Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
*This is typically the lowest-cost option
*Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
*Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
*There is a steep learning curve for new systems
*Staff may not have the technical ability
*The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
*There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
*There are typically high-quality technical staff
*This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
*Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
*This requires an IAA signed by leadership
*The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
*Typically high-quality technical staff
*This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
*This requires a separate service contract
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-29T23:28:12Z

Left4Code: archives

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |last=Monahan |first=Jack |date=2024 |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association)}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |author=Ashworth |first=Boone |date=2026-04-02 |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260426201220/https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |archive-date=2026-04-26 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Wired}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427021341/https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220622/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415102419/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB23-1011 |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801033011/https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220611/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260404184350/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-090 |archive-date=2026-04-04 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2013 |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427192633/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=The White House}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |publisher=CISA |date=August 2020}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Bill Search," enter "SB26-090" as the bill number, and select the 2025-2026 session. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |author=Chamberlain |first=Elizabeth |date=2026-04-01 |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260403085840/https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2026-04-03 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=iFixit}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
*Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
*Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
*Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
*This is typically the highest-cost option
*Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
*Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
*This is typically the lowest-cost option
*Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
*Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
*There is a steep learning curve for new systems
*Staff may not have the technical ability
*The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
*There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
*There are typically high-quality technical staff
*This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
*Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
*This requires an IAA signed by leadership
*The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
*Typically high-quality technical staff
*This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
*This requires a separate service contract
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

User:Left4Code

2026-04-29T03:50:32Z

Left4Code: Time update

Will probably use this for volunteer experience on a resume. Think Louis would let me put him down as a reference? (Only half-joking)

My website is [https://left4code.neocities.org left4code.neocities.org] if you want to get in contact. My [https://left4code.neocities.org/left4code_gpg.txt email and PGP key] are there.

<s>hCaptcha is ruining my life.</s> I have been blessed by Lord Keith and saved from the hCaptcha nightmare, thank you!

Time spent editing so far (people like numbers, right?) {HH:MM:SS}: 26:40:00

Stats table (Shamelessly stolen from Beanie)

{| class="wikitable"
|+Contribution Scores
!Score
!Pages
!Changes
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|{{#cscore:Left4Code|score}}
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User talk:Keith

2026-04-29T03:44:55Z

Left4Code: /* Bill JSON link merge issue for API */ Reply

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-29T03:38:00Z

Left4Code: more for Keith, I may check the other references later, involving the tracer sos colorado links.

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |last=Monahan |first=Jack |date=2024 |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association)}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |author=Ashworth |first=Boone |date=2026-04-02 |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260426201220/https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |archive-date=2026-04-26 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Wired}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427021341/https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220622/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415102419/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB23-1011 |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801033011/https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |publisher=The White House |date=February 12, 2013}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |publisher=CISA |date=August 2020}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Bill Search," enter "SB26-090" as the bill number, and select the 2025-2026 session. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |author=Chamberlain |first=Elizabeth |date=2026-04-01 |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260403085840/https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2026-04-03 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=iFixit}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
*Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
*Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
*Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
*This is typically the highest-cost option
*Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
*Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
*This is typically the lowest-cost option
*Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
*Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
*There is a steep learning curve for new systems
*Staff may not have the technical ability
*The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
*There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
*There are typically high-quality technical staff
*This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
*Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
*This requires an IAA signed by leadership
*The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
*Typically high-quality technical staff
*This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
*This requires a separate service contract
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

User talk:Keith

2026-04-29T03:35:35Z

Left4Code: /* Bill JSON link merge issue for API */ new section

[[User:Alexa|Alexa]] ([[User talk:Alexa|talk]]) 16 May 2025

Hello @[[User:Keith|Keith]],

I'm interested in helping with the wiki, and specifically I have real world example, but would like to check if it's a good fit here or not.

And I can't talk in discord, as it's forcing me to submit my email.

Is this a good place to start conversation on adding new company, and fitness of the case.

Thank you.

∼∼∼∼

Hi @[[User:Alexa|Alexa]]!

No problem at all - go ahead and let me know what your thought is and I'll give you my thoughts on whether/how it fits on the wiki!

[[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 20:03, 17 May 2025 (UTC)

[[User:Alexa|Alexa]] ([[User talk:Alexa|talk]]) 06:36, 18 May 2025 (UTC)

@[[User:Keith|Keith]],

There is company in California that offers indoor skydiving, and obviously they have waiver to sign (with arbitration 😃), but it's not the issue I found there, but that part of that waiver is "consent" to "grant exclusive permission" to take photo/video, and use it in their promotional materials, and there is no way to sign the waiver without consenting to that photo/video permission, online form doesn't allow you to proceed. And even when we went to the place itself, staff said that "corporate doesn't allow them to print out forms to fill out, anymore, and all waivers need to be filled in online", means we can't opt out from that photo/video consent. So my kid ended up not taking that "flight", because we couldn't sign the waiver without consenting to photos.

Thank you.

[[User:Alexa|Alexa]] ([[User talk:Alexa|talk]]) 17 May 2025

@[[User:Alexa|Alexa]]

I think that fits the bill - although it's a smaller company, it fits within the frame of modern consumer protection and demonstrates how draconian the terms for even something like that can be.
Go for it! I'd probably say that this is a case where a company article can be created, and the TOS issue can be neatly summarised within it, as opposed to being a seperate incident article.

Edit: actually, I might have got ahead of myself - is this something which has been covered or discussed annywhere other than by yourself? If not, it may fall foul of the No Original Research rule, although a very basic page which basically just lays out the facts which can be established from their website and TOS, and does not provide any commentary beyond this, might be ok.

[[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 07:55, 18 May 2025 (UTC)

==Re: CAT Documentation==
[[User:Keith|@Keith]] I've replied to your message at [[User talk:Travis]]. Let me know if you'd like to discuss further approaches to organizing the documentation. [[User:Travis|Travis]] ([[User talk:Travis|talk]]) 14:43, 17 January 2025 (UTC)

==Delegating tasks==

Hello Keith,

You said at the meetup that you found it easy to delegate.

This interests me because when I was in business, I found it difficult delegate: did not believe people could not do a good enough job and I would be still responsible for the results.

Is this topic of interest to you?

∼∼∼∼

[[User:Janosabel|Janosabel]] ([[User talk:Janosabel|talk]]) 22:48, 10 February 2025 (UTC)

:I think that in the context of wikis or any kind of community project, one needs to be able to trust others to get anywhere (perhaps with some verification too at times).
:I'm under absolutely no illusion that I can do all or even much of this by myself, and we have some really talented and great people on the team!
:There's no way of achieving the results we'd want without spreading the workload and decision-making responsibility. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 09:33, 11 February 2025 (UTC)
::I understand what you mean.
::Just realised, I was speaking about me half a century ago; and not being able to trust delegees cost me a burnout. Without delegation even if imperfect, what must be done cannot be done.
::Unfortunately I cannot help by contributing to the Wiki for lack of academic training in the required writing style, but put on my talk page a witness account how supermarkets expanding to local areas are killing independent small traders.
::PS. What is the difference between <edit source> and using the <reply> button? [[User:Janosabel|Janosabel]] ([[User talk:Janosabel|talk]]) 20:05, 11 February 2025 (UTC)
:::I think the reply button just opens up a small window of the editor, and applies the signature to the message automatically? I'll have a look at what you mentioned, but I'm not sure it quite fits the theme of the Wiki, as we're keeping it focused on anti-consumer activities, rather than general issues with corporate behaviour.
:::And yes, I'll be careful on burnout! I want to avoid the combination of this and my day job driving me mad... [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 23:02, 14 February 2025 (UTC)

==Thanks and silly questions==

Hi Keith,

thanks for adding me to the confirmed users. Total newbie here, i have no idea how to properly contribute. I tried to start a discussion in the Category Leagislation Africa, not sure if it was posted.

Should i ask it directly here? or keep it in that category?

Mika, Madagascar. [[User:Mikadago|Mikadago]] ([[User talk:Mikadago|talk]]) 11:42, 16 August 2025 (UTC)

:I'm happy to reply there, though it will take a few mins to put together an answer and provide some guidance on where best to include the information [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 13:28, 16 August 2025 (UTC)

==Is the main Miku article ready to have the stub removed?==

[[Miku]]

I've been working on getting to Miku article to a better place, is there anything else you think I should add to it before the stub is removed? [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 01:20, 17 August 2025 (UTC)

:Happy to remove the incomplete notice as it's defeinitely better sourced now, but I think it might be s good idea for you to have a look at how the controversies/incidents section is laid out on the [[Netflix]] article, as the way it's done in the Miku article is a little strange, especially with the 'this article sumarizes' bits at the start of paragraphs
:In any case, thank you for the good work! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:46, 17 August 2025 (UTC)

==Why was my page deleted?==

I also see no notices or notifications in regard to this. I thought the whole point of this was for transparency? [[User:Slab Man|Slab Man]] ([[User talk:Slab Man|talk]]) 21:12, 17 August 2025 (UTC)

:From what I can tell you created the article with, other than the information from the form, just a couple of sentences containing an accusation without any citation or reference to support it. After around 12 hours, Mr Pollo added a deletion notice to the article, as there was virtually no information contained in the article. After a couple more days, as the article had not been edited or improved, it was deleted.
:I can't speak to the lack of notifications - usually whenever an article you've been involved in is edited, it will show up in your inbox in the top right of the screen. It's possible that the full deletion of the article resulted in it removing the notifications; I'm not exactly sure of how that interaction works [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 23:01, 17 August 2025 (UTC)
::Well I planned to add more details and citations when I had time. It can't be a draft/work in progress? You have to write everything in one go? [[User:Slab Man|Slab Man]] ([[User talk:Slab Man|talk]]) 04:44, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
:::The wiki generally expects an article to have at least a few references and all of the template parts at least partially filled in within the first few days of an article's creation. [[User:JamesTDG|JamesTDG]] ([[User talk:JamesTDG|talk]]) 05:59, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
:::I'll second what James said, and also add that it's possible to create draft pages within your user space. You do this by adding 'user:[yourname]/' to the start of the page name. This keeps it out of mainspace, meaning it is not searchable by the main search bar.
:::Currently this policy you've encountered is unwritten, so I'll add it to the moderator guidelines shortly. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 06:30, 18 August 2025 (UTC)
::::Noted. It would be great if there was a regular draft function like in almost every software. (So this doesn’t happen to other new users after their first contribution.) Honestly, after you deleted it, it felt like my contribution is unwanted. [[User:Slab Man|Slab Man]] ([[User talk:Slab Man|talk]]) 04:31, 21 August 2025 (UTC)
:::::That's fair enough - we should add some more text to the article creation flow which explains how user space works, how to make a draft article, and what the policy for handling new articles is. If you'd like, I can get the text from the deleted article and put it on your user talk page or something so you can pick it up from where you left off? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 10:37, 21 August 2025 (UTC)
::::::Thank you that would be great. Looking forward to helping out! [[User:Slab Man|Slab Man]] ([[User talk:Slab Man|talk]]) 18:32, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

==Interenet Archive stub notice seems badly placed==

Hi @[[User:Keith|Keith]], the stub notice on [[Internet Archive]] seems to be after the lead section and not before it. Can you please fix this? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:40, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

:Done! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:23, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

==Question about re-use of sources for LiveView Article==

Hey Keith,

I noticed that for the [[LiveView Technologies AI Surveillance]] article, the same source has been re-used multiple times but shows up with a different citation number. Namely the citations number 6,32, and 33 are duplicates of 4 (LVT Use Cases in Law Enforcement), 14 is a duplicate of 5 (AI-Driven Mobile Security for Every Threat), 35 is a duplicate of 8 (Fusion Centers), and 21 is a duplicate of 20 (Mobile cameras deployed at Monroe County Office Building amid security concerns)

Also the links are missing the archive URLs in the references and some don't have author first and last name or date where they are available on the site or the date is incorrect.

I have a version of the article which shrinks the list of references (citation 33 is now a re-use of citation 4 for that section for example) and also has the relevant archive links and names and dates for each reference where possible.

Should I commit the change? I know that this article may be looked at be people very soon and I'd rather get your approval to change it and have you ready to roll-back or append to it in case you don't like it. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 18:47, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

:I think I'm going to commit the change now, you're free to revert it or check it over in case I messed something up. In the event this article is mentioned at City hall on Thursday, I want it to be the best it can be.
:Thank you for helping with the wiki. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 19:03, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
::Thank you! and yeah, if you notice small formating issues (especially with an article louis has been working on :P ) just go ahead and make the change - that's the way of the wiki! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:41, 26 August 2025 (UTC)
:::Small formatting issues or other non-obvious things like referencing problems* [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:41, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

==Proposal to add a section for organized meetings. (might be a better name for this)==

Hey Keith, I hope I'm not posting here again too early.

I thought about how every time Louis wants to generate interest for a particular issue with regards to getting viewers to organize, most of the time he has to do a video on it and these calls for organization when fighting for a particular issue (such as LVT tomorrow) are based in the United States.

I don't know if this already exists on the wiki (if it does, i'd like to know where it is), but do you think it would be a good idea to create a page specifically for posting the dates and instructions for showing up to demonstrations or hearings for the purposes of pushing back against anti-consumer or anti-privacy related issues? (This could be world-wide).

If someone from the UK for example wanted to organize a demonstration or have people speak at or attend an open council meeting, they would edit a row of a wiki table and list the time of the demonstration, an additional page describing the instructions or requirements to attend, and the issue that will be talked about (similar to rossmanngroup.com/clippyone).

I feel that with something like this, organizing both members of the public and members of the wiki regardless of country would be much easier and could provide a centralized and updated list of upcoming events based on user submission and moderator approval.

Let me know what you think about something like this when you're free to reply, I'd like to hear your thoughts in addition to anyone else who sees this and wants to talk about it. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 17:11, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

:It's definitely on the edge of what makes sense here, but I think that it's worth considering as it could well be useful. Might be something that will end up being done through FULU though in the end... maybe some kind of 'events noticeboard' a bit like the moderator notice could work? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 20:25, 27 August 2025 (UTC)
::An "events noticeboard" in the way you describe it with moderation is exactly what I was thinking. You're right about how it should be done through FULU directly instead of the wiki, that's a better idea.
::Thanks for your input, I appreciate it. I was just wondering if it was a completely off-the-wall idea. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 23:16, 27 August 2025 (UTC)

==BT article==

Hello Keith, remember [[BT's Digital Voice service in the UK isn't good for the Elderly|this article]]? I pinged you 16 days ago but it seems that it didn’t work and I’ve forgotten about it since. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:27, 16 September 2025 (UTC)

:Thanks for the reminder! as we were both in agreement, I removed the article. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 06:48, 17 September 2025 (UTC)

==Privacy notice change==

Hello Keith, I was looking through things in the Mediawiki namespace to see how backend works, when I noticed the [[Mediawiki:Footer-privacy-notice]] page and it reminded me of [[Talk:Main Page#stating "Recently updated" not particularly helpful|this on the main page]]. Can we change it quickly or does it need to be done backend? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:37, 20 September 2025 (UTC)

:We're going to do a policy update and a full review of that stuff when we update the backend tomorrow, so I'll make sure it's handled [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:01, 20 September 2025 (UTC)

==Protect Template:Welcome==

Hello, am contacting you directly as I think it is the best way to make this happen, but PLEASE protect Template:Welcome, I doubt we'll get vandalism on there but if we do and it sends a message with it we're done for... [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:06, 13 October 2025 (UTC)

:Oh, also can you make the bot substitute (make the template not change on that page even after it gets updated) the templates for the sake of preservation of the page? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:08, 13 October 2025 (UTC)
::Thanks @[[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] for getting that first one!
::I think I get what you mean re. the substitution, but have no idea how to do it. Will look into it [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:30, 14 October 2025 (UTC)
:Done. Thanks for bringing it up! I'm not sure about your second question though, so I'll leave that to Keith. [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 18:26, 13 October 2025 (UTC)
::Second one is complicated, but the first one is the only important one. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:39, 13 October 2025 (UTC)

==Is it fine for me to get an alternate account?==

Edit: Have no clue why I'd need this in practice, so forget about it. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 15:33, 20 October 2025 (UTC)

:no worries. In answer to your question, as long as we're notified, and there are no sockpuppetry shenanigans, then the answer is yes. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 15:39, 22 October 2025 (UTC)

==Do you mind if I use AutoWikiBrowser on the CRW?==

Hello, I recently heard about a tool called [[wikipedia:WP:AWB|AutoWikiBrowser]] which is a semi-automated tool meant to help for repetitive smaller edits which I do a lot, do you mind if I use it and if you don't mind, should I use an alternate account for it (maybe with 'bot flag' even though it's not a bot so it doesn't show??) Edit: Also, the page to get this, [[Special:BotPasswords|BotPasswords]], lets you change grants for people/things with the password, so is it okay to let people/things with the password edit protected pages (for things like typo-fixing Project namespace pages)? It is risky if it is obtained.[[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 15:23, 23 October 2025 (UTC)

:Happy for you to use that! sounds like a great tool. No strong opinions on whetehr you make a separate account for it [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:11, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
::On the passwords front, I'm not sure how exactly that works. Does it give you the ability to use your own account via API? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:14, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Yes, botpasswords is pretty much that. It lets you change permissions too, so I can give it only specific permissions for safety reasons. Also, as for the ‘seperate account thing’ Botpasswords (the one that I can use) gives me a new account anyway so there’s no reason for it, just me misunderstanding the usage. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 14:16, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
::::Cool, that sounds fine then! do you need me to do anything to get it set up? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:20, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::No, I’ll do it myself when I next get a chance on my PC (without any special perms as I don’t know why I’d need that!) [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 14:21, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

==Found Large Amount of 404 links for flock article==

Page link: [[Flock license plate readers]]

Hey Keith,

I was checking the sources in the above article and noticed that for a large section of it, the sources will lead directly to pages which either don't exist or result in 404. I really hope that this is just a problem on my end and isn't really the case. Below is the complete list of all sources I found that lead to 404'd pages. On the actual article page, I have also marked the following with the status of usurped for the time being.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Ref #

!Title

!Issue

!Archive state

!Link

|-
|20
|"How Vehicle Fingerprint Technology Works"
|404
|no archive
|
https://www.flocksafety.com/resources/how-vehicle-fingerprint-technology-works
|-
|21
|
"License Plate Surveillance Company Can Now Capture Images of Vehicle Occupants' Faces"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.404media.co/flock-safety-can-now-capture-faces-of-vehicle-occupants/
|-
|
22
|
"Transforming Flock: Beyond License Plate Reading to Deliver Greater Insights for Solving Crime"
|
404
|
no archive
|

https://www.flocksafety.com/newsroom/transforming-flock-beyond-license-plate-reading-to-deliver-greater-insights-for-solving-crime/
|-
|
24
|
"Atlas of Surveillance: Flock Safety"
|
goes to deeplinks blog, but no article
|
no archive
|
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/04/atlas-surveillance-flock-safety
|-
|
25
|
"Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle v. Baltimore Police Department"
|
404
|no archive
|

https://www.eff.org/cases/leaders-beautiful-struggle-v-baltimore-police-department
|-
|
26
|
"Carpenter and the Evolving Fourth Amendment"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.law.georgetown.edu/american-criminal-law-review/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/01/60-1-Carpenter-and-the-Evolving-Fourth-Amendment.pdf
|-
|
27
|
"Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle v. Baltimore Police Department"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67689711/leaders-of-a-beautiful-struggle-v-baltimore-police-department/
|-
|28
|
"Illinois Compiled Statutes - Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act"
|
404
|
no archive
|

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3541&ChapterID=53
|-
|
29
|
"RSA 236:130 Automated License Plate Recognition"
|
potential 404
|
no archive
|
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXI/236/236-130.htm
|-
|
32
|
"Surveillance firm provided ICE access to license plate reader systems"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jul/15/flock-safety-ice-license-plate-reader
|-
|
33
|
"How Flock Safety is Building a Surveillance Network for ICE"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/03/flock-safety-and-ice
|-
|
34
|
"ICE Surveillance of Immigrants and Advocates"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://americanoversight.org/investigation/ice-surveillance-of-immigrants-and-advocates/
|-
|
35
|
"ACLU Obtains Records Showing ICE Using License Plate Readers in Sanctuary Cities"
|
404
|
no archive
|
https://www.aclunc.org/news/aclu-obtains-records-showing-ice-using-license-plate-readers-sanctuary-cities
|-
|
36
|
"License Plate Readers Are Creating a US-Wide Database of More Than Just Cars"
|404
|no archive
|
https://www.vice.com/en/article/license-plate-readers-abortion-clinics-texas
|-
|37
|"Reproductive Surveillance in Post-Roe America"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.surveillancewatch.io/reproductive-surveillance-post-roe/
|-
|38
|"State Shield Laws and Reproductive Privacy"
|dead site
|no archive
|https://reproductiverights.gov/shield-laws/
|-
|39
|"Flock Safety Employees Caught Misusing Access to Surveillance Network"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.wired.com/story/flock-safety-employees-misuse-access/
|-
|40
|"Audit Reveals Hundreds of Flock Safety Privacy Violations"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.techdirt.com/2024/05/15/audit-reveals-hundreds-of-flock-safety-privacy-violations/
|-
|41
|"When License Plate Readers Become Tools for Stalking"
|404
|no archive
|https://apnews.com/article/license-plate-readers-police-misuse-stalking
|-
|42
|"Detroit Officer Fired for Using City Cameras to Track Ex-Wife"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2024/03/officer-fired-tracking-ex-wife/
|-
|43
|"Proactive Security Disclosure Q2 2025"
|404
|no archive
|https://www.flocksafety.com/blog/proactive-security-disclosure-q2-2025
|}
If you discover no issues (or the formatting of this table turns out horrible and breaks your talk page), disregard this and remove my topic from your page. And revert the change I made to the article where I marked the mentioned links as usurped.

Hopefully if these sites really lead to nothing and it's not just me, then the table makes it easy for you to do something. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 02:52, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

:Had a bit of a dig and my suspicion, expecially since these references are all next to each other, is that there was probably some AI chicanery in the making of the article.
:Seem to be poitentially based on real pages, e.g. this one:
:https://www.eff.org/document/fourth-circuit-ruling-leaders-beautiful-struggle-v-baltimore-police-department
:is probably meant to be #25 instead of what is currently there
:I'd recommend sticking this table on the Flock talk page (if you haven't already) and letting people know they might need to look for what these links are meant to be [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:19, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
::I went ahead and added the table to the discussion tab. Should there be a notice at the top of the Flock page to make people aware? Or leave it as is? [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 17:42, 26 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Nevermind about the notice. The references were small enough to not need them for the most part. I started working on fixing some of them [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 18:30, 26 October 2025 (UTC)

==Oversighted something==

Hello, Keith! I just wanted to let you know I just gave myself the 'suppressor' user right as I oversighted what I think could be your IP address for privacy reasons. The info is at [[Special:Diff/805]]. If it isn't your IP address, feel free to revert what I just did. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 11:32, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

:I think it might have been (though very good chance it was some temp VPN/mobile IP address). In any case, thank you for spotting it! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 12:09, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

==being able to edit Discussions==

hey so I just discovered I can edit discussions. not only mine but any1 elses. is this an oversight? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 20:23, 4 December 2025 (UTC)

:Not sure - might just be how wikis are (given that edit logs are public, it's pretty easy to combat anyone trying to abuse it, same as with article vandalism)
:I'll page in @[[User:UntoK|UntoK]] in case it's something that isn't how it should be [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 23:13, 4 December 2025 (UTC)
::Nah, that's MediaWiki. Nothing unusual there. Edit Source is actually the default way to edit discussions in MediaWiki, but the interface is changed by an extension (forgot the name), so that it shows as this instead of just the edit source button. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 15:37, 5 December 2025 (UTC)
:::dk y I didn't notice that b4. I've been on and off w contribs so thought smth changed since my last visit. anyhow thanks for clearing up the concern. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:00, 8 December 2025 (UTC)

=="fixing" recent changes==

since the introduction of [[Template:Welcome]], [[Special:RecentChanges]] has become a graveyard of User:Talks that I have to sift through in order to double check people's work. can we please block [[User:New_user_message]] from showing up on there?

edit: the bot bypasses the "Human (not bot) active filter
[[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 22:12, 26 December 2025 (UTC)

:yeah, that's a localsettings.php part that Keith can pass on to Unto. setting $wgNewUserSuppressRC to true should work. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 10:50, 1 January 2026 (UTC)
::as a temp fix, [https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Special:RecentChanges?hidebots=1&namespace=3&invert=1&limit=100&days=7&enhanced=1&urlversion=2 this] should work [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 10:54, 1 January 2026 (UTC)
:::legend. thank you [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:43, 1 January 2026 (UTC)
::::Hi @[[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] - took a bit of a break over the holidays so sorry for not replying. I'll contact Unto and see if he can take a look [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:12, 5 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::Fair enough! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:49, 5 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::any update? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 17:55, 12 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::I've put Unto on it but no update. I'll chase him [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:30, 13 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::Darth Sidious says "do it". [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:36, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::any update? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 23:08, 27 February 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::I think it's been fixed? I don't see New User Message clogging up the feed anymore [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:54, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::::I certainly remember that we tried to fix it, and I think it seemed to work [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:54, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::::oh... I was using ACRP's temp fix so I did not realize and thought it was still broken lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:06, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

==*sigh*==

Where are the projects (again)? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:04, 19 January 2026 (UTC)

:deja vu? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:42, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
::[[Consumer_Rights_Wiki_talk:Moderators%27_noticeboard#*sigh*|oh]] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:48, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
:::LOL, made me chuckle seeing your replies! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:55, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
::::hey as a wise man once said "if you are good at something, never do it for free". that'll be $5 my friend [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:05, 19 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::yeah, replied on the noticeboard, but just adding here - I think an update must have broken it. have contacted Unto [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 01:07, 20 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::@[[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] @[[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] Fixed! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:52, 20 January 2026 (UTC)

==sorry for the ping==

I used the intro text from [[Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection]] to add to the Incidents section for each of the mentioned companies. In the edit summary I linked you. Ik that @ and [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 22:33, 21 January 2026 (UTC) ping the user but idk abt linking. regardless sorry abt the pings

:th happened here? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 22:34, 21 January 2026 (UTC)
::No worries! I don't think @s in edit summaries cause pings anyway [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 22:37, 21 January 2026 (UTC)

==alternative to Discord==

I don't use Discord. many members of the wiki don't use Discord. can't talk on their behalf but I can mine. if there was a Matrix or heck Signal gc (lol), I'd love to be a part of it. are there any plans for migration off Discord or perhaps providing w an alternative they'd be more comfortable with? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:32, 23 January 2026 (UTC)

:We're hoping to get a Zulip bridge with the Discord in the next couple of months. This would allow people to essentially join the Discord without joining the Discord, with the exception of a couple of features like bot commands and voice channels. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 08:19, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::lovely looking forward to it [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 09:44, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::is the Zulip bridge still under consideration following the impending age verification push in March? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 23:07, 27 February 2026 (UTC)
::::I've not heard of Zulip but it sounds like some sort of proxy? I'd prefer something like Matrix but that seems great too. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:44, 28 February 2026 (UTC)
:::::Zulip is a bit like a matrix/discord-y thing, and we'd use plugins to essentially crosspost everything that's sent to it to the discord and vice versa. It's still coming along but I've been crap and haven't got the server paid up yet. will try and do this next week and we can hopefully get it up shortly. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:45, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::Just in case yous hadn't noticed it on the main page @[[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] @[[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]], we're moving our monthly hangout meetings from discord to zoom so as to include more of the community, and you're both welcome to join! first one is at 20:00 UTC tomorrow. if you pop me an email over to help@consumerrights.wiki, I'll send you the zoom link (son't want to posted publicly for obvious reasons) [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:50, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::I've seen that, I'm not interested in joining though. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:21, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::oh I totally missed that. I'll shoot over an email and add it to my calendar but dk if I'll be able to join. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:09, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::Apologies for not seeing this sooner - I'll send over a link just now! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:34, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::Hi, any update on the Zulip bridge? Sorry for asking after such a short time but I'd really like to use it! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:24, 5 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::@[[User:Keith|Keith]] any update still? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 12:44, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::Jake's on it - we've been going back and forth over whether to have a managed instance or self hosted - sry for the kerfuffle! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:34, 13 March 2026 (UTC)

==Can you help moving my page==

Sorry I said this 3 times or more, I got confused, can you move please, I moved it in wrong place, may I ask should I ask here instead of the pages I placed [[User:^&*|^&*]] ([[User talk:^&*|talk]]) 21:23, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

:Thank you but should I create it in the user page just to clarify [[User:^&*|^&*]] ([[User talk:^&*|talk]]) 21:34, 25 February 2026 (UTC)
::Don't want to be nuisance that all when doing my article [[User:^&*|^&*]] ([[User talk:^&*|talk]]) 21:35, 25 February 2026 (UTC)
:::I've replied on your user page - think it should be alright now? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:38, 25 February 2026 (UTC)
::::your user talk page* [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:38, 25 February 2026 (UTC)

==Adding categories==

Hello, please don't add categories in the visual editor as it doesn't work, instead simply type <code><nowiki>[[Category:CATEGORYNAME]]</nowiki></code> and replace CATEGORYNAME with the name of the category, otherwise it won't work. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:57, 4 March 2026 (UTC)

:Apologies, thank you! I usually use source but I think there I just hit 'edit' by accident as was trying to set it up quickly. just so you know, I've replied to stefan's questions on the page he moved - thank you for moving the page he created! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 17:31, 4 March 2026 (UTC)

==Regarding a recent article I created==

Hello, Keith! I have finally decided to become a contributor here. The article I've been working on is [[Happy Bar & Grill biometric surveillance tool development|Happy Bar & Grill Biometric Surveillance]]. However, when someone I've sent the link to opens it, they see the version that was last updated before I created my profile. What could be causing this? I apologise for any lack of knowledge on my part. [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 18:23, 4 March 2026 (UTC)

:Unfortunately this is a problem with cloudflare's caching. If you wait a short while, or they log in, they should see the updated version. We've found a solution and will be shipping it with the next version of the wiki so that page edits are instantly reflected in cached versions of pages. Until then, it's just a case of waiting a while or logging in (logging in bypasses the cache as it needs to load user-specific elements). Great work on the article by the way! Just as a heads up, we're happy to have sources in non-english languages, so if you find any Bulgarian sources discussing it, those would be great to add to the article to demonstrate notability. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 18:42, 4 March 2026 (UTC)
::Oops, apparently I was spreading misinformation on the internet regarding the exact reasons for it not being cached, but the gist is still the same, which is that logged-in users bypass the cache! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 18:48, 4 March 2026 (UTC)
::Thank you for the swift reply and the explanation! It's so refreshing to see people working hard and helping others for a good cause. Also very happy to hear that you like how the article has turned out so far. I've extensively searched for any other sources regarding the issue, but found nothing. I guess someone has to start the discussion! :D
::Just to confirm: is the wiki English-only? I'd love to make the article more accessible to my compatriots, but I suppose I'll just tell them to use the automatic translation option on their browser. [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 21:05, 4 March 2026 (UTC)
:::The wiki is english only yeah, for moderation purposes (we don't have a team that's reliably able to check the quality of non-english articles). if you wanted, though, we'd be happy for you to put a bulgarian version in your user space (i.e. the page lives at consumerrights.wiki/w/User:Juuns/[pagename]) - just make sure to put a note in english at the top so that none of the mods mistake it for a spam article! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 22:48, 4 March 2026 (UTC)
::::Hey there, thanks for the advice! Is that alright? https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Iw/User:Juuns/%D0%91%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%BE_%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BB%D1%8E%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D0%B2_Happy_Bar_%26_Grill_-_bg_translation_of_an_existing_article/&veaction=edit [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 08:35, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::Yep! The URL looks cursed written out like that lol but it's in the right place [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:24, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::Hello again, Keith!
::::::I and the small team I've created have made huge progress regarding the surveillance situation at Happy Bar and Dinner. We posted the wiki on the r/bulgaria subreddit, and it topped the daily chart in less than three hours. People are outraged.
::::::I've managed to contact an advocate from the opposition here who agreed to share the wiki on her Facebook page (over 10,000 followers). She also agreed to work with me to make the topic go viral and will send this to other human rights and anti-mafia activists in Bulgaria. We've planned to create several videos in various forms regarding the issue.
::::::I am writing with a big request that would be extremely beneficial to my cause and the wiki: Could you contact Louis Rossmann and share the wiki with him? Alternatively, you could connect him to me so I can tell him more about it.
::::::I understand this is a big request, but I would be very thankful for your help :) [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 18:43, 11 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::That's great! I've passed the info on, and will let you know the response
:::::::This is exactly how I've been hoping to see the wiki be used, so I'm really excited that it's getting picked up! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:20, 12 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::Hello again, Keith. Things are spreading like wildfire and are getting very heated. An official position from Happy Bar & Grill has been released. They are aggressively denying the claims, but their statement actually contains several contradictions that validate my research rather than disprove it.
::::::::In their official position, Happy Bar & Grill claims to have already notified the wiki's administrators (you and Rossmann, I suppose), issuing what they describe as a "categorical demand" for the removal of all alleged misinformation within a 24-hour ultimatum. Could you confirm if such a notice was received? A corporation issuing a 24-hour take-down ultimatum to an independent documentation project before any independent audit or regulatory investigation has taken place is simply outrageous.
::::::::Some of the main points I wanted to cover:
::::::::First, there is a major timeline discrepancy. Happy claims they received an offer from GI Mobility Services (linked to IP Biometrix? I cannot find any information about them, and other people have come up with nothing as well) in 2023 and officially rejected it on 14 December 2023. However, my archived evidence from IP Biometrix's portfolio shows a screenshot dated 9 November 2024—almost a year after they claim to have rejected the proposal. If they truly rejected the system in 2023, why does the vendor's portfolio display active implementation data from late 2024? Why was the article on their page until 2026? Also, there was an image displaying logos of partner companies still on IP Biometrix's page until 11 March 2026. They took that down just a few hours! This suggests either the system was further tested despite the rejection, or their timeline is fabricated to cover ongoing processing. My main hypothesis right now is that GI Mobility Services is the old version of IP Biometrix. IP Biometrix is a very new company, established at the end of 2023, just around the time of the implied rejected proposal.
::::::::Second, their statement completely omits any mention of "Burrata Italiana," despite it being owned by the same group. Is this supposed to be implied? My evidence specifically identifies the biometric dashboard screenshots as originating from the Burrata Italiana location in Varna.
::::::::Third, the article on Boulevard Bulgaria (one of the most shared articles regarding the topic), in my eyes, appears to be paid or ordered content, mirroring Happy's language almost verbatim without independent verification. It is even on their top page (archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/20260312235007/https://boulevardbulgaria.bg/). Meanwhile, they are attempting to discredit consumerrights.wiki by calling it an unverified anonymous wiki. THIS ATTACKS THE INTEGRITY OF THE WHOLE PLATFORM! I must stand firm that I am NOT spreading misinformation; I am documenting archived vendor evidence and public records. For the past couple of hours, I have made as many archives as possible for any news articles, blogs, and information regarding this.
::::::::They are trying to suppress the discussion before it has begun, but I believe it's too late. Many people have already shared this on social media and are also quite sceptical of Happy's response. A deeper dive into IP Biometrix as a whole is needed to check whether other companies also use such a system. They are very shady; they have many other "partners." They are the main issue. I will try to update the page with their denial as soon as possible, but contextualise it with these contradictions so readers see the full picture.
::::::::For your reference, here are some of the key articles circulating regarding this situation:
::::::::Post in r/bulgaria: Where it all started. After this thread was made, this issue gained massive traction in no time, featuring thousands of views and hundreds of comments from concerned citizens, topping the weekly chart in less than 24 hours: https://www.reddit.com/r/bulgaria/comments/1rqxn90/%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8_%D0%B7%D0%B0_%D1%81%D1%8A%D0%B1%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B5_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D0%B2_%D1%85%D0%B5%D0%BF%D0%B8/
::::::::Boulevard Bulgaria: This article mirrors the official corporate release almost verbatim and lacks independent verification. It appears to be coordinated PR rather than journalism: https://boulevardbulgaria.bg/articles/happy-tvardeniyata-che-verigata-sledi-klientite-si-s-ai-kameri-sa-absolyutno-neverni
::::::::Mobile Bulgaria: General news coverage discussing the allegations and the company's response. https://mobilebulgaria.com/news/izpolzva-li-happy-bar-grill-litsevo-razpoznavane-s-ai-v-restorantite-si
::::::::Kaldata: Technical analysis and reporting on the AI camera systems in restaurants and the company's response. https://www.kaldata.com/it-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8/ai-%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5-%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7-650764.html
::::::::Other useful information:
::::::::IP Biometrix: Their current website shows no information or response regarding the events. https://ip-biometrix.com/
::::::::Confirmation that this is indeed "Burrata Italiana Varna" in Varna, Bulgaria: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Burrata+Italiana+Varna/@43.1962014,27.9154998,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x40a453f66ec877b1:0x1331c25a3c536926!8m2!3d43.1962014!4d27.9180747!16s%2Fg%2F11js3ffhz7?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDMxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D; [[:File:IP Biometrix AI surveillance dashboard.png]]
::::::::There are other outlets covering this as well, but these are the primary sources needed. I am disgusted by Happy's answer and Boulevard Bulgaria's PR-like article. Please inform Louis to check the email I've sent about this issue; I've formulated all the needed information there. I am furious. [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 01:15, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::Crucial note: While the filename indicates November 2024, this date relies on the vendor's naming convention and cannot be forensically verified. Additionally, there is another screenshot in the article from that same date (Screenshot-2024-11-09-121619.png), which may indicate that the screenshots were made when the article was posted rather than during live operation." [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 02:27, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::Unfortunately, I cannot dedicate unlimited time to maintaining and updating this page alone given the rapid developments. I would greatly appreciate any help regarding that. :) [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 02:34, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::yep, we've recieved it alright. I'm reworking the article a bit at the moment, to ensure that it's a bit more neutral, fits our editorial policies etc., and does not make any original claims beyond those contained in sources. My current understanding is that there is no evidence that the system has been deployed at scale, as such I'm moving/renaming the article and rewording some of the content.
:::::::::I'd appreciate if you could keep your bg translation up-to-date with the changes made to the english article (or find someone who is able to do so) to make sure that it's in-line as well. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 07:08, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::I've edited and added as much context as I could to both articles for now. I'm going to take a little break for the rest of the day. Thanks a lot for your support and dedication to this issue and the wiki as a whole. Talk to you soon! [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 09:56, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::::Lastly for now, could you move the translation to change the title? Разработка на биометричен инструмент за наблюдение на Happy Bar & Grill/Burrata. I suggest specifying Burrata in the English version as well, as we have implication from the company's response that the screenshot of the monitoring is real and not fabricated (pleas read their official response thoroughly before doing anything). [[User:Juuns|Juuns]] ([[User talk:Juuns|talk]]) 10:03, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
::::::::::::update on the above - i fucked up my original edit I was referring to in the above comment, and for some reason it didn't get committed to the article. I've re-made it now. it basically walks back some of the claims where the article was making strong inferences and interpretations of what the sources were saying, to ensure that we're not speculating (given the nature of the site as a wiki, we should not generally be doing original interpretation of sources in articles, especially where they relate to practices carried out by a company)
::::::::::::I read a translation of the statement (seems like the full version is posted to MobileBulgaria) and have been basing my understanding on that. feel free to come back to me if I've misinterpreted it to a significant extent [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 07:47, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

==Stub Pains==

Hey Keith,

I'm way out of my depth here with these stub notices, I added a stub to two new articles I made not realizing they would literally prevent my ability to add any text to the article.

links: [[AirPods connection vulnerability]] | [[AirPods Max moisture issue]]

When I attempt to make a change to the article, I was getting a stub deletion error. If I did something wrong, would you be able to explain what exactly happened with this so it doesn't happen again? [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 06:55, 6 March 2026 (UTC)

:(IN CASE YOU COULDN'T NOTICE, I'M NOT KEITH!) This is a common issue that users have had for a very long time now. If you edit anywhere before or on the line of the stub notice, something called the abuse filter says "nope, lol, nice try" and blocks the edit. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 07:18, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
::Should work now. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 07:20, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
:Ah, I think I did the same thing as ACRP, but the stub notices are now on their own line and not touching anything else, so there shouldn't be any further issues [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:30, 6 March 2026 (UTC)

==Publicising RfCs==

Hello, the RfCs you made haven't gotten any attention. Should we publicise them better? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 15:34, 6 March 2026 (UTC)

:Yeah, I'll set up some kind of hub that includes pages with the RfC category or something. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:23, 6 March 2026 (UTC)
::ok, I made a category for open and closed RfCs, transcluded them on a page, and linked to it from the policy index. idk if there's anywhere else it should be? I guess it's probably worth mentioning on some of the guide-y pages [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 16:44, 6 March 2026 (UTC)

==Arbys article weird ref issue==

[[Arby's]]

hey keith, when I look at the arby's article, it says in the references, ref goes here, but then when I try to edit it out, it goes away. is there any way to fix this? If you figure out a way, I'd love to know. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 16:09, 11 March 2026 (UTC)

:That ref is caused by [[Template:Ph-C-Int]]. Remove that and the ref will disappear as well. You can't delete the ref without deleting the box. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 09:39, 13 March 2026 (UTC)
::Thank you for the help, I've replaced the box with a simple message to do the summary. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 02:46, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

== Bill JSON link merge issue for API ==

[[Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption]] [low priority issue]

Some citations involving API requests and pulling JSON have the selector merged with the actual link, resulting in a direct click of the link returning a non-valid result.

Example: Ref #19 links: https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname), when everything after the question mark should be non-linked, and the original link should have everything after the question mark removed. Then click check should return valid JSON objects.

I've added the following string to all references where I believe this appears, I've only gone through half the list however: "!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!"

If there are any other instances of this happening, I'll make another minor edit, feel free to revert if there's actually no real problem and I'm going insane.

It really would be nice to do the JSON parsing within the actual link and have the API return the valid results, unfortunate. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 03:35, 29 April 2026 (UTC)

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-29T03:26:54Z

Left4Code: JSON selector errors for Keith.

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |last=Monahan |first=Jack |date=2024 |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260422190215/https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |archive-date=2026-04-22 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association)}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |author=Ashworth |first=Boone |date=2026-04-02 |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260426201220/https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |archive-date=2026-04-26 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Wired}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260427021341/https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |archive-date=2026-04-27 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-02 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402220622/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |archive-date=2026-04-02 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260415102419/https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB23-1011 |archive-date=2026-04-15 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801033011/https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2025-08-01 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |publisher=The White House |date=February 12, 2013}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |publisher=CISA |date=August 2020}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Bill Search," enter "SB26-090" as the bill number, and select the 2025-2026 session. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |access-date=2026-04-03 |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code>

!!! JSON SELECTOR MERGED WITH LINK, RESULTS IN BROKEN CLICK !!!</ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code></ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |author=Chamberlain |first=Elizabeth |date=2026-04-01 |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260403085840/https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |archive-date=2026-04-03 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=iFixit}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
*Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
*Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
*Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
*This is typically the highest-cost option
*Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
*Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
*This is typically the lowest-cost option
*Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
*Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
*There is a steep learning curve for new systems
*Staff may not have the technical ability
*The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
*There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
*There are typically high-quality technical staff
*This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
*Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
*This requires an IAA signed by leadership
*The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
*Typically high-quality technical staff
*This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
*This requires a separate service contract
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-29T02:31:51Z

Left4Code: added 01 to reference source date for ref42, I think this is correct, couldn't find the day inside the pdf or on the site, metadata to the rescue.

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association) |date=2024}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |author=Boone Ashworth |publisher=Wired |date=April 2, 2026}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP |date=2024}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |publisher=The White House |date=February 12, 2013}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |publisher=CISA |date=August 2020}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Bill Search," enter "SB26-090" as the bill number, and select the 2025-2026 session. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code></ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code></ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |author=Elizabeth Chamberlain |publisher=iFixit |date=April 1, 2026}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
*Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
*Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
*Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
*This is typically the highest-cost option
*Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
*Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
*This is typically the lowest-cost option
*Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
*Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
*There is a steep learning curve for new systems
*Staff may not have the technical ability
*The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
*There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
*There are typically high-quality technical staff
*This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
*Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
*This requires an IAA signed by leadership
*The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
*Typically high-quality technical staff
*This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
*This requires a separate service contract
*This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
*This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-29T02:25:14Z

Left4Code: Ripped table from cisa guide, added it as a source (I still need to check in the references that it's not already been cited) and I added "Page 26 of" to the first bit, I don't know if this should be kept or if it could be added in a better way (unfortunately the PDF ToC for the document doesn't directly reference it to my knowledge)

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association) |date=2024}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |author=Boone Ashworth |publisher=Wired |date=April 2, 2026}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP |date=2024}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |publisher=The White House |date=February 12, 2013}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |publisher=CISA |date=August 2020}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Bill Search," enter "SB26-090" as the bill number, and select the 2025-2026 session. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code></ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code></ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |author=Elizabeth Chamberlain |publisher=iFixit |date=April 1, 2026}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Page 26 of CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guideline recommends actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-07 |title=Emergency Communications System Lifecycle Planning Guide |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250820180415/https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/July%202025%20Emergency%20Communications%20System%20Lifecycle%20Planning%20Guide_508c.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-20 |access-date=2026-04-29 |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency}}</ref>
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.
{| class="wikitable"
|+''Table 2: Comparison of Maintenance and Operations Models''<ref name=":0" />
!Models
!Advantages
!Disadvantages
|-
|'''Vendor, including parts and labor'''
|
* Vendors understand the system and often provide a fast solution to any issues
* Agencies can learn from vendor solutions
* Agencies are under obligation to pay per contract terms; thus, the level of service is not affected by fiscal climate
|
* This is typically the highest-cost option
* Agencies have less control over the level of support and solution offered
* Agencies may rely on vendors and not learn how to effectively operate the system or troubleshoot any issue
|-
|'''In-house staff'''
|
* This is typically the lowest-cost option
* Agencies have the greatest control over the level of support and solution
* Agencies learn how to effectively operate the systems and troubleshoot any issues
|
* There is a steep learning curve for new systems
* Staff may not have the technical ability
* The level of maintenance can be affected by the agency’s fiscal climate
* There may be additional costs for parts and some labor
|-
|'''Third-party public agency'''
|
* There are typically high-quality technical staff
* This allows for efficient operations and potential cost-savings across enterprise-wide operations
* Knowledge is retained within the public agency
|
* This requires an IAA signed by leadership
* The primary agency has less control over level of support and solutions offered
* This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians to fix issues and agency does not learn how to effectively operate the system
* This may not include parts and labor costs
|-
|'''Third-party private entity'''
|
* Typically high-quality technical staff
* This is a good option if agency does not have knowledgeable staff to manage M&O
|
* This requires a separate service contract
* This may lead to over reliance on third-party technicians
* This may not include parts and labor costs
|}
Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-29T01:55:15Z

Left4Code: [some help for my dearest Louis 😘💕💕.] [I need to add the table, source, and grammar check before I consider this complete. Hopefully I'm on the right track]. If someone else wants to get in on this, let's make it better!

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association) |date=2024}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |author=Boone Ashworth |publisher=Wired |date=April 2, 2026}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP |date=2024}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |publisher=The White House |date=February 12, 2013}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |publisher=CISA |date=August 2020}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Bill Search," enter "SB26-090" as the bill number, and select the 2025-2026 session. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code></ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code></ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |author=Elizabeth Chamberlain |publisher=iFixit |date=April 1, 2026}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

CISA's Emergency Communications Lifecycle guidelines recommend actions which support the availability of parts and ability to repair, in order to keep critical infrastructure functioning, stating in their "best practices":<blockquote>
*'''Monitor''' M&O ticket items and repair requests managed by the vendor or the agency to inform future purchases (e.g., identify radios that are constantly in the shop or need to be repaired)

*'''Monitor''' repair costs as reported by the vendor or recorded by the agency (e.g., replacement parts, level of effort) to understand full cost of M&O program and to inform future decisions

*'''Continually communicate''' with the vendor on solutions available after M&O contracts have expired (e.g., will the vendor still support the system, will replacement parts be available)
*'''Stockpile spare parts''' while they are available (i.e., before the vendor stops supporting or discontinues manufacturing certain parts); this can significantly extend the lifespan of equipment
</blockquote>Additionally, the following table has been provided by CISA with emphasis on "Vendor, including parts and labor" and "Third-party public agency" which outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the various lifecycle models when incorporating different equipment solutions.

Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

Colorado SB26-090 critical infrastructure exemption

2026-04-29T01:11:33Z

Left4Code: spelling

{{#seo:
|title=Colorado SB26-090 Critical Infrastructure Exemption - Consumer Rights Wiki
|description=Colorado SB26-090 exempts "critical infrastructure" IT equipment from the state's right to repair law, letting manufacturers self-classify products.
}}

'''Colorado SB26-090''' is a 2026 bill that would exempt "information technology equipment intended for use in critical infrastructure" from Colorado's [[Right to Repair|Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act]] law (HB24-1121), which is a broad piece of right to repair legislation that implemented right to repair without the business-to-business exemptions found in other states' repair laws.<ref name="fighttorepair">{{Cite web |url=https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/colorados-right-to-repair-law-is |title=Colorado's Right to Repair Law Is The Strongest Yet. Here's Why. |publisher=Fight to Repair (Repair Association) |date=2024}}</ref>

Danny Katz, executive director of CoPIRG, described the existing Colorado law as giving Colorado residents "the broadest repair rights in the country", and noted the potential for bill SB26-090 to roll back these rights.<ref name="wired">{{Cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tech-companies-are-trying-to-neuter-colorados-landmark-right-to-repair-law/ |title=Tech Companies Are Trying to Neuter Colorado's Landmark Right-to-Repair Law |author=Boone Ashworth |publisher=Wired |date=April 2, 2026}}</ref> Bill SB26-090 borrows its definition of "critical infrastructure" from the USA PATRIOT Act (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), a definition that covers 16 federal sectors including communications, healthcare, food & agriculture, financial services, and information technology.<ref name="cisa">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/topics/critical-infrastructure-security-and-resilience/critical-infrastructure-sectors |title=Critical Infrastructure Sectors |publisher=Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)}}</ref> The primary contention around the adoption of this definition relates to its scope, as the bill does not define "information technology equipment", which Katz said "leaves it up to the manufacturers to determine which items they will need to provide repair tools and parts to owners and independent repairers and which ones they don't".<ref name="wired" />

==Colorado's existing right to repair laws==

Colorado has passed three right to repair laws in four years, making it one of the most active states in the wider right to repair movement.

In 2022, Colorado passed '''HB22-1031''', protecting the right to repair powered wheelchairs.<ref name="leg-hb22">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb22-1031 |title=HB22-1031: Wheelchair Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> The following year, '''HB23-1011''' made Colorado the first state to pass an agricultural equipment right to repair law.<ref name="leg-hb23">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1011 |title=HB23-1011: Agricultural Equipment Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref><ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

The most consequential was '''HB24-1121''', the Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment Act. The act requires the manufacturers of digital electronic equipment manufactured after July 1, 2021 to provide independent repair providers and owners with parts, tools, documentation, and schematics on fair and reasonable terms.<ref name="proskauer">{{Cite web |url=https://www.proskauer.com/blog/colorado-expands-right-to-repair-law |title=Colorado Expands "Right-to-Repair" Law |publisher=Proskauer Rose LLP |date=2024}}</ref> "Fair and reasonable" is defined as costs "equivalent to the most favorable costs and terms that the manufacturer offers to an authorized repair provider." The law also bans the use of [[parts pairing]] in ways which would reduce repairability or functionality.<ref name="proskauer" />

The act was sponsored by Representatives Brianna Titone and Steven Woodrow, as well as Senators Jeff Bridges and Nick Hinrichsen, passing the Colorado House by a vote of 39-18, and the Senate by a vote of 21-13.<ref name="leg-hb24">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1121 |title=HB24-1121: Consumer Right to Repair Digital Electronic Equipment |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Governor Polis signed it on May 28, 2024, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.<ref name="proskauer" />

HB24-1121 exempts motor vehicles, medical devices (except powered wheelchairs), construction and energy-related equipment, fire alarm systems, safety communications equipment, and internet/video/voice routers from its right to repair provisions,<ref name="proskauer" /> and treats violations as deceptive trade practices.<ref name="leg-hb24" />

What set HB24-1121 apart from every other state repair law was its scope. By way of comparison to other states, Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota's right to repair laws all contained exemptions for business-to-business equipment from the start, whereas HB24-1121 contained no such exemptions.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> This meant that enterprise networking hardware, servers, and business infrastructure were all subject to the same repair mandates as consumer phones and laptops, unless they independently fell within another exemption.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> Minnesota's law specifically included a "critical infrastructure" exemption; Colorado deliberately excluded one.<ref name="fighttorepair" /> SB26-090 would add back the same type of critical infrastructure carve-out that Colorado excluded when writing HB24-1121.<ref name="fighttorepair" /><ref name="wired" />

iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens described HB24-1121 as Colorado "taking a search-and-destroy approach to repair monopolies."<ref name="fighttorepair" />

==SB26-090: the bill==

SB26-090, titled "Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair," was introduced on February 10, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-090 |title=SB26-090: Exempt Critical Infrastructure from Right to Repair |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Its sponsors are Senator John Carson (R-30), Senator Marc Snyder (D-12), and Representative Tony Hartsook (R-44), the House Minority Caucus Chair.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

The bill adds a single sentence to Colorado Revised Statutes sections 6-1-1502 and 6-1-1504: "Nothing in this part 15 applies to information technology equipment that is intended for use in critical infrastructure."<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On April 2, 2026, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee voted 5-0 to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole.<ref name="leg-sb090" /><ref name="wired" /> Second reading was scheduled for April 7, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" /> The bill still needs full Senate and House floor votes before taking effect.<ref name="wired" />

==Defining critical infrastructure==

The bill defines critical infrastructure as "systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters."<ref name="patriot-act">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5195c |title=42 U.S.C. 5195c - Critical infrastructures protection |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}} Subsection (e) defines "critical infrastructure." Originally enacted as Section 1016 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.</ref> This language comes directly from the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and was later incorporated into Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), issued in 2013.<ref name="ppd21">{{Cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/12/presidential-policy-directive-critical-infrastructure-security-and-resil |title=Presidential Policy Directive -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience |publisher=The White House |date=February 12, 2013}}</ref>

Under PPD-21, CISA designates 16 critical infrastructure sectors: Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors/Materials/Waste, Transportation Systems, and Water & Wastewater Systems.<ref name="cisa" />

The breadth of CISA's "essential critical infrastructure workers" guidance expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to include automotive repair, retail groceries, call centers, and logistics, despite no formal change in definition.<ref name="cisa-covid">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/essential_critical_infrastructure_workforce-guidance_v4.1_508.pdf |title=Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce |publisher=CISA |date=August 2020}}</ref> Consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that using similar logic, it would be easy for manufacturers to greatly expand the range of devices classified as critical infrastructure <ref name="Rossmann">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwc5HKnOmGg |title=Colorado senators destroyed right to repair; please contact them and ask them not to |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=2026-04-04 |website=YouTube |publisher=Google LLC |access-date=2026-04-16}}</ref>.

The bill also does not provide an explicit definition of "information technology equipment." Gay Gordon-Byrne, executive director of the [[Repair Association]], testified at the committee hearing: "I can point out at least five problems with the bill as drafted. The definition of critical infrastructure is completely inadequate. The definition that has been proposed in this bill is not even a definition."<ref name="wired" />

===Manufacturer self-classification===

The bill uses the phrase "intended for use in critical infrastructure" but doesn't specify who decides whether a product meets that threshold and does not define "information technology equipment."<ref name="wired" />

Nathan Proctor, leader of PIRG's national right to repair campaign, called the framing cynical: "The 'information technology' and 'critical infrastructure' thing is as cynical as you can possibly be about it. It sounds scary to lawmakers, but it just means the internet."<ref name="wired" />

==Industry lobbying on behalf of SB26-090==

===Cisco===

[[Cisco]] is the primary corporate backer of SB26-090. iFixit described the company as "the biggest voice in support" of the exemption.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" /> Consumer-grade internet/video/voice routers are already exempt from HB24-1121.<ref name="proskauer" /> SB26-090 would create an additional, broader exemption covering enterprise networking equipment.<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Cisco's Non-Entitlement Policy states that "unauthorized repair voids the Cisco Warranty Entitlement" & that the company "does not offer or provide any replacement or spare parts to third-party service repair businesses."<ref name="cisco-nep">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warranty-doc-c99-740959.html |title=Non-Entitlement Policy v2.0 |publisher=Cisco Systems}}</ref> Third-party repairs are listed as "grounds for Cisco to cancel service or warranty support",<ref name="cisco-nep" /> despite the [[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]] (15 U.S.C. Section 2302(c)) prohibiting manufacturers from conditioning warranty coverage on the use of a specific service provider or brand of replacement part.<ref name="mmwa-statute">{{Cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2302 |title=15 U.S.C. 2302 - Rules governing contents of warranties |publisher=Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>

At the committee hearing, a Cisco representative stated: "Cisco supports SB-90. While it appreciates the arguments offered in favor of the right to repair, not all digital technology devices are equal."<ref name="wired" />

===IBM===

IBM is also supporting the SB26-060, and has a general stance against the extension of right to repair to enterprise devices. An IBM spokesperson told Wired: "IBM supports right-to-repair policies that empower consumers while protecting cybersecurity, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Given the critical and often sensitive nature of enterprise-level products, any legislation should be clearly scoped to consumer devices."<ref name="wired" />

===Lobbying registrations===

The Colorado Secretary of State's Online Lobby System lists 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090: 40 supporting, 11 opposing, 15 monitoring, and 2 other.<ref name="sos-lobby-system">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System. 68 lobbying registrations on SB26-090. To verify: go to the Colorado Secretary of State lobby registration search at https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Bill Search," enter "SB26-090" as the bill number, and select the 2025-2026 session. The search returns all registered lobbyists, their clients, and their positions (Supporting, Opposing, Monitoring, etc.). Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:sos-sb26090-all-registrations-p1.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State Online Lobby System search results for SB26-090, page 1 of 4, showing 68 lobbying registrations.]]

Of the 40 supporting registrations, 20 come from lobbyists registered under two different clients on the same bill. <ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> HB Strategies registered eight lobbyists for IBM on February 11, 2026: Erin Goff, Micki Hackenberger, HB Strategies (the firm itself), Carrie Hackenberger, J. Andrew Green & Assoc., Lisa LaBriola, Elizabeth Lo, and Kevin Neimond.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Nineteen days later, on March 2, the same eight registered for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corporation (Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC).<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> That produced 16 registrations from one firm.

[[File:sos-ibm-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for IBM on SB26-090, showing eight lobbyists from HB Strategies registered February 11, 2026.]]

[[File:sos-cospr-chamber-lobbyists.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State lobbying registrations for the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC on SB26-090, showing the same eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered March 2, 2026.]]

Josh Hanfling and Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs registered themselves as lobbyists for both Cisco and the Colorado Technology Association, adding four more duplicate registrations.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Jeffrey Weist & Weist Capitol Group, Inc. registered on the same day (February 18) for two separate cable industry trade groups with nearly identical names: the Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association, and the Colorado Cable Television Association.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Three clusters of double-dipping: HB Strategies (16 registrations from 8 names across two clients), Sewald Hanfling (4 registrations from 2 names across two clients), & Weist (2 clients with almost the same name on the same day).

Cisco's in-house lobbyist Joseph Lee registered on February 10, the same day the bill was introduced, and IBM's eight HB Strategies lobbyists registered the next morning.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> Since a lobbyist can't file a position on a bill that hasn't been introduced, consumer advocate Louis Rossmann noted that same-day and next-day registrations from two separate companies could indicate that they both had advance knowledge of the bill before it was publicly filed<ref name="Rossmann" />. Cisco's outside firm (Sewald Hanfling), the cable associations, and the Denver Metro Chamber registered between February 16 and 18. The Colorado Springs Chamber added its matching HB Strategies team on March 2. The Colorado Technology Association added Sewald Hanfling on March 5-6. TechNet registered five lobbyists on March 12. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce was last, 44 days after introduction, on March 26.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" />

===Lobbying spending===

At least $362,735 in known lobbying spending backs this exemption.<ref name="soda-dataset">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado (browsable dataset) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To reproduce this total: query the SODA API at https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json using <code>$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%CISCO%' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code> for each client (Cisco, IBM, Colorado Technology Association, Colorado Springs Chamber), then add the four results. The dataset ID is dxfk-9ifj. The individual queries and their results are cited in the table below.</ref> Four of the ten supporting organizations have spending data on file with the Colorado Secretary of State. The other six (TechNet, Denver Metro Chamber, Colorado Chamber, both cable associations, and FGR Hub) don't appear in the database during this period, & March & April 2026 filings are not yet available.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lobbying payments from SB26-090 supporting organizations, October 2024 through February 2026
|-
!Organization!!Total paid to Colorado lobbyists!!Lobbying firm
|-
|Cisco||$127,854<ref name="soda-cisco">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Cisco Systems |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25CISCO%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|Colorado Technology Association||$116,000<ref name="soda-cta">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Technology Association via Sewald Hanfling |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25SEWALD HANFLING%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO TECHNOLOGY%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs
|-
|IBM||$74,570<ref name="soda-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: IBM |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref>||HB Strategies + in-house
|-
|Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC||$44,311<ref name="soda-cospr-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25HB STRATEGIES%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS CHAMBER%25' AND fiscalyear in('2024-2025','2025-2026')</code></ref><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: Colorado Springs Chamber via Weaver Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$select=sum(incomeamount)&$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25WEAVER%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25COLORADO SPRINGS%25' AND fiscalyear='2025-2026'</code></ref>||HB Strategies + Weaver Strategies
|-
|'''Total'''||'''$362,735'''||
|}

Cisco paid Sewald Hanfling $6,500 per month for at least 14 of the 15 months between October 2024 and December 2025. In January 2026, the payment increased to $7,500.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:soda-cisco-retainer-raise.png|thumb|300px|SODA API response showing Cisco's monthly payments to Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, $6,500 per month through December 2025, rising to $7,500 in January 2026.]]

IBM paid HB Strategies $72,500 in 13 payments between October 2024 and February 2026. IBM's in-house lobbyist Alexi Madon reported another $2,069.76 over three months.<ref name="soda-ibm" />

The Colorado Technology Association paid $116,000 to Sewald Hanfling, the same firm Cisco pays.<ref name="soda-cta" /> The Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC paid $44,311 split between HB Strategies and Weaver Strategies.<ref name="soda-cospr-hb" /><ref name="soda-cospr-weaver" />

Micki Hackenberger, who runs HB Strategies, reported $510,922.50 in personal lobbying income for the year ending June 2025.<ref name="sos-hackenberger">Colorado Secretary of State, Online Lobby System, cumulative disclosure statement for Micki M. Hackenberger, FY 2024-2025, filed July 14, 2025. To verify: go to https://www.sos.state.co.us/lobby, click "Lobbyist Search," enter "Hackenberger" as last name, open her profile, and view the cumulative disclosure statement for FY 2024-2025. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:hackenberger.png|thumb|300px|Colorado Secretary of State cumulative disclosure statement showing Micki Hackenberger reported $510,922.50 in lobbying income for the year ending June 2025, filed July 14, 2025.]]

Hackenberger also personally donated to four of the five SB26-090 sponsors and committee members who received lobbying network money: $400 to Catlin, $450 to Hartsook, $225 to Snyder, & $450 to Carson.<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-donations">Colorado TRACER, RecordIDs 6851545, 6856570, 6911305, 7060021: donations from Micki Hackenberger to Catlin ($400, Sep 6 2024), Hartsook ($450, Sep 18 2024), Snyder ($225, Nov 17 2024), and Carson ($450, Sep 25 2025). To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> The only recipient she didn't donate to was Danielson, who received $3,800 from Sewald Hanfling instead.<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson" />

J. Andrew Green & Assoc. is registered as IBM's lobbyist on SB26-090, but the state income database shows zero payments from IBM to Green.<ref name="soda-green-ibm">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from IBM (no records) |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25IBM%25'</code> This returns an empty array, confirming zero payments.</ref> Green reports $14,840 from HB Strategies in January 2026.<ref name="soda-green-hb">{{Cite web |url=https://data.colorado.gov/Legislative/Professional-Lobbyist-Income-in-Colorado/dxfk-9ifj |title=Professional Lobbyist Income in Colorado: J. Andrew Green from HB Strategies |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State |access-date=2026-04-03}} To verify via the SODA API, query: <code>https://data.colorado.gov/resource/dxfk-9ifj.json?$where=upper(lobbyistname) like '%25GREEN%25' AND upper(lobbyistname) like '%25ANDREW%25' AND upper(clientname) like '%25HB STRAT%25'</code></ref> HB Strategies collects from both IBM and the Colorado Springs Chamber, then subcontracts Green from that pool.

The five organizations opposing the bill (CoPIRG, Eco-Cycle, Repair.org, the Digital Right to Repair Coalition, and NFIB) have zero disclosed lobbying spending in the same database during 2024-2026.<ref name="soda-dataset" />

===Campaign donations===

Lobbyists and firms registered to support SB26-090 donated a total of $15,725 to the bill's three sponsors and five committee members between 2024 and early 2026.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Sewald Hanfling employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Sewald" or "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, and search within the date range 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Then filter results by recipient for each SB26-090 sponsor and committee member. TRACER bulk data is also available for download at https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Brandeberry McKenna employees to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Brandeberry" or "McKenna" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Micki Hackenberger to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hackenberger" as Contributor Last Name, and search within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

On December 19, 2025, Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated $450 to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder.<ref name="tracer-hanfling-snyder">Colorado TRACER, RecordID 7171526: $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling to Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, December 19, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name and "Snyder" as Committee Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Snyder sponsored SB26-090 53 days later. Cisco pays Hanfling's firm $7,500 per month, and Hanfling is registered as Cisco's lobbyist on the bill.<ref name="soda-cisco" /><ref name="sos-lobby-system" /> The donation amount is small; the timeline connecting Cisco's lobbyist to a bill sponsor weeks before introduction is the pattern.

[[File:marcsnyder.png|thumb|300px|Colorado TRACER filing showing a $450 donation from Joshua Hanfling (Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs) to the Committee to Elect Marc Snyder, dated December 19, 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network to sponsors and committee members
|-
!Firm!!SB26-090 client(s)!!Total!!Recipients
|-
|Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs||Cisco, CO Tech Assn||$6,225<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Liston
|-
|Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs||CO Springs Chamber||$3,650<ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" />||Danielson, Carson, Snyder, Liston, Catlin
|-
|HB Strategies / Husch Blackwell||IBM, CO Springs Chamber||$3,575<ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hbs-employees">Colorado TRACER contribution search: donations from Goff, Neimond, Lo (Husch Blackwell Strategies) to SB26-090 legislators, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," and search each name individually: "Goff" + "Erin", "Neimond" + "Kevin", "Lo" + "Elizabeth" as Contributor Last/First Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Snyder, Hartsook, Catlin, Liston
|-
|Colorado Chamber PAC||(self)||$1,800<ref name="tracer-co-chamber-pac">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Colorado Chamber PAC donations to SB26-090 sponsors and committee members, 2023-2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Colorado Chamber" as Committee Name under the "Committee Giving" tab, and search within 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Snyder, Hartsook, Liston, Catlin
|-
|J. Andrew Green & Assoc.||IBM (via HB subcontract)||$450<ref name="tracer-bulk-download">{{Cite web |url=https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/DataDownload.aspx |title=TRACER Public Site: Data Download |publisher=Colorado Secretary of State, TRACER |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref>||Carson
|-
|Weaver Strategies||CO Cable Television Assn||$450<ref name="tracer-weaver-morton">Colorado TRACER contribution search: Kachina Morton (Weaver Strategies) donations to SB26-090 sponsors, 2025. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Morton" as Contributor Last Name and "Kachina" as First Name, and search within 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>||Carson, Liston
|}

R.D. Sewald and Josh Hanfling of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs donated a combined $3,800 to committee chair Jessie Danielson across four transactions:<ref name="tracer-sewald-hanfling-danielson">Colorado TRACER contributions: R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to Jessie Danielson campaign, RecordIDs 6858173, 6858175, 7092122, 7186003. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Danielson" as Committee Name, then search separately for "Sewald" and "Hanfling" as Contributor Last Name, within 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref>

[[File:tracer-sewald-hanfling-to-danielson.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing four donations from R.D. Sewald and Joshua Hanfling to the Jessie Danielson campaign committee, September 2024 through November 2025.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Date!!Donor!!Amount!!TRACER RecordID
|-
|September 24, 2024||R.D. Sewald||$450||6858173
|-
|September 24, 2024||Joshua Hanfling||$450||6858175
|-
|July 15, 2025||Joshua Hanfling||$1,450||7092122
|-
|November 4, 2025||R.D. Sewald||$1,450||7186003
|}

Danielson chairs the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee. She voted to advance SB26-090 on April 2, 2026.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

On September 4, 2024, Jenifer Brandeberry and Julie McKenna of Brandeberry McKenna Public Affairs each donated $450 to committee member Senator Marc Catlin (RecordIDs 6851546, 6851547).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin">Colorado TRACER contributions: six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna to Marc Catlin campaign, RecordIDs 6851545, 6851542, 6851535, 6851531, 6851546, 6851547. September 4-6, 2024. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Catlin" as Committee Name, and search within 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-30. Then search each donor name: Hackenberger, Lo, Goff, Neimond, Brandeberry, McKenna. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Two days later, on September 6, four employees of Husch Blackwell Strategies (the parent company behind HB Strategies) donated to Catlin on the same day: Micki Hackenberger ($400, RecordID 6851545), Elizabeth Lo ($250, RecordID 6851542), Erin Goff ($200, RecordID 6851535), and Kevin Neimond ($100, RecordID 6851531).<ref name="tracer-six-lobbyists-catlin" /> Six lobbyists from two firms, all later registered on SB26-090, donated $1,850 to the same senator within 48 hours. Catlin voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-six-lobbyists-to-catlin.png|thumb|300px|TRACER contribution search showing six lobbyists from HB Strategies and Brandeberry McKenna donated a combined $1,850 to the Marc Catlin campaign committee between September 4-6, 2024.]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Donations from SB26-090 lobbying network by recipient
|-
!Legislator!!Role!!Total received!!Number of donors
|-
|Jessie Danielson||Committee Chair (D)||$4,300<ref name="tracer-bulk-download" />||4
|-
|Larry Liston||Committee Member (R)||$2,850||7
|-
|Marc Snyder||Bill Sponsor (D)||$2,525||7
|-
|Marc Catlin||Committee Member (R)||$2,300||7
|-
|John Carson||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,900||7
|-
|Anthony Hartsook||Bill Sponsor (R)||$1,850||5
|-
|Nick Hinrichsen||Committee Vice Chair (D)||$0||0
|-
|Iman Jodeh||Committee Member (D)||$0||0
|}

Senators Nick Hinrichsen and Iman Jodeh received no donations from any SB26-090 lobbying firm, PAC, or corporate employee in the 2024-2026 TRACER data.<ref name="tracer-hinrichsen-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Nick Hinrichsen, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Hinrichsen" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref><ref name="tracer-jodeh-zero">Colorado TRACER contribution search: no results for SB26-090 lobbying firms to Iman Jodeh, 2024-2026. To verify: go to https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov, click "Contribution Search," enter "Jodeh" as Committee Name, and search for each lobbying firm (Sewald, Hanfling, Hackenberger, Brandeberry, McKenna, Goff, Neimond, Lo) as Contributor Last Name within 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31. All searches return zero results. Accessed April 3, 2026.</ref> Both sit on the committee. Both voted to advance the bill.<ref name="leg-sb090" />

[[File:tracer-hinrichsen-zero-sewald.png|thumb|300px|TRACER search showing zero donations from Sewald Hanfling to the Hinrichsen campaign, 2024-2026.]]

===Colorado's lobbying disclosure system===

Colorado law doesn't require lobbyists to break down spending by bill.<ref name="crs-24-6-302">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-24/article-6/part-3/section-24-6-302/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-6-302: Disclosure |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> The $362,735 figure is total client payments to their lobbyists during this period; the connection to SB26-090 comes from separate position filings where those same lobbyists registered as supporting the bill.<ref name="sos-lobby-system" /><ref name="soda-dataset" />

Three separate systems hold the data: the Secretary of State's Online Lobby System (lobbying registrations and bill positions), the Professional Lobbyist Income dataset on Colorado's open data portal (monthly payments from clients to lobbyists), and TRACER (campaign donations).<ref name="crs-24-6-302" /> Connecting a corporation's lobbying money to a specific vote requires pulling data from all three and matching records by hand.

[[File:crs-1-45-105-5-lobbyist-contributions.png|thumb|300px|C.R.S. 1-45-105.5, the Colorado statute restricting lobbyist campaign contributions during legislative sessions.]]

Colorado law allows lobbyists to donate to legislators they lobby, as long as the donation falls outside the regular legislative session (C.R.S. 1-45-105.5).<ref name="crs-1-45-105-5">{{Cite web |url=https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-1/article-45/section-1-45-105-5/ |title=Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-45-105.5: Contributions from Lobbyists |publisher=Justia (mirror of Colorado Revised Statutes, 2023 edition) |access-date=2026-04-03}}</ref> SB25-148, a bill to ban lobbyist donations to legislators year-round, was killed by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs in March 2025.<ref name="leg-sb25148">{{Cite web |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-148 |title=SB25-148: Concerning Lobbyist Contributions to Candidates |publisher=Colorado General Assembly}}</ref> Twelve months later, SB26-090's lobbyists had donated $15,725 to the bill's sponsors & committee members.<ref name="tracer-sewald-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-brandeberry-to-legislators" /><ref name="tracer-hackenberger-to-legislators" />

==Cybersecurity implications==

Manufacturers backing SB26-090 argue that sharing diagnostic tools, firmware, and schematics for enterprise infrastructure could enable bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities.<ref name="wired" /> iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens testified at the bill's hearing: "There's a general principle in cybersecurity that obscurity is not security. The money that's behind the scenes, that's what's driving the bill."<ref name="wired" />

Some cybersecurity researchers have directly disputed the manufacturer framing. Security researcher Billy Rios, and threat researcher Andrew Brandt, spoke against the exemption on the Securepairs podcast.<ref name="ifixit-sb090">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/116447/a-new-colorado-bill-could-blow-a-hole-in-the-nations-strongest-right-to-repair-law |title=A New Colorado Bill Could Blow a Hole in the Nation's Strongest Right to Repair Law |author=Elizabeth Chamberlain |publisher=iFixit |date=April 1, 2026}}</ref> Paul Roberts, chief of The Security Ledger and founder of Securepairs.org, stated: "A vibrant and healthy market for repair isn't a cybersecurity risk. In fact, it should be considered a cybersecurity imperative!"<ref name="ifixit-sb090" />

Repair advocates have also made the argument that restricting independent repair can have the unintended consequence of making critical infrastructure less secure, due to the need for timely repairs which may not be available through manufacturer-approved technicians.<ref name="wired" />

==Committee hearing testimony==

The April 2, 2026 hearing before the Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee drew over a dozen repair advocates who testified against the bill.<ref name="wired" /> Organizations represented included [[iFixit]], CoPIRG, the Repair Association, and PIRG's national campaign. Repair advocate Louis Rossmann was also present.<ref name="wired" />

Katz, who described Colorado as having "the broadest repair rights in the country," warned that the bill "is a bad policy and would be a big step back for Coloradans' repair rights."<ref name="wired" /> Gordon-Byrne pointed to at least five drafting problems.<ref name="wired" />

===Misleading claim from bill sponsor about the Governor's stance===

During the hearing, bill sponsor Senator John Carson stated the following: <blockquote>"And I want to note that when Governor Polis signed House Bill 24-1121, when he signed it into law, he issued a directive in his signing statement that the law should be fixed before its implementation date of January 1, 2026. He noted that Colorado is the only state in the nation that requires devices used for critical infrastructure be included in their repair law. So we're running this bill to fix a critical mistake made in the original law and protect our devices from malicious attacks."<ref name="sb090-hearing">Colorado General Assembly, Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee hearing on SB26-090, April 2, 2026. Audio/video archived at the Colorado General Assembly Harmony system: https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00327/harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260402/-1/27982</ref></blockquote>

However, Governor Polis's official press release on signing HB24-1121, dated May 28, 2024, contains no mention of critical infrastructure, no directive to "fix" the law, and no statement that Colorado is an outlier.<ref name="polis-signing">{{Cite web |url=https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/governor-polis-signs-right-repair-law-legislation-strengthen-colorados-economy-create-jobs |title=Governor Polis Signs Right to Repair Law, Legislation to Strengthen Colorado's Economy, Create Jobs & Support Creative Industries |publisher=Office of Governor Jared Polis |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> While the website for the Governor of Colorado's press release concerning House Bill 24-1121 originally stated " View the Governor’s signing statement" which would have customarily had a hyperlink to the signing statement, no hyperlink was included. Upon emailing the Governor's staff on 4-21-2026, the website was updated and the link corrected. The signing statement reads, in part: <blockquote>This bill takes effect on January 1, 2026, and I encourage stakeholders to continue conversations in the interim to ensure that the full list of exclusions is appropriate and exhaustive, and take into consideration concerns that were raised during the process. <ref>{{Cite web |title=HB24-1121 Signing Statement |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fftPj_EH5chO5Nh9huHz04M8D3YEyVP-/view}}</ref><ref name="polis-signing" /> </blockquote>

==Similar attempts in other states==
In 2025, the Texas legislature passed '''HB2963''', a right to repair bill signed on June 20, 2025 and effective September 1, 2026. The bill used the identical USA PATRIOT Act critical infrastructure exemption (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) as SB26-090, along with additional exemptions for medical devices and heavy equipment.<ref name="texas">{{Cite web |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2963 |title=HB 2963 Bill History |publisher=Texas Legislature Online |date=2025}}</ref>

Several states that have passed repair laws, including Oregon, New York, California, and Minnesota, exempted business-to-business equipment from the start.<ref name="fighttorepair" />

As of 2026, right to repair bills have been introduced in every U.S. state and passed in eight.<ref name="wired" />

==See also==

*[[Right to Repair]]
*[[Parts pairing]]
*[[Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act]]
*[[Cisco Systems, Inc.]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Right to repair]]
[[Category:US legislation]]
[[Category:Colorado]]

User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson

2026-03-14T20:52:20Z

Left4Code: /* adding archive video to article */ Reply

{{User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson/Transcluded thingy}}

Hi! This is my user talk page. Just leave me a message and I’ll respond when I can. If you want a request for a moderator to do something, it is much better for you to go to the [[Project talk:Moderators' noticeboard|Moderators' noticeboard]], as it will be much quicker to get a response than here and I'm very active there too.
 '''If there is a message I haven't replied to in more than 5 days, then I'm completely fine with you spam pinging me until I do reply.'''
==Do you need a hand?==

I just saw your edit notes lol, but not sure exactly what you're trying? If you need a hand I can try and help/find someone who's around. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:43, 5 October 2025 (UTC)

:Lol thanks, I am trying to add userscripts and losing my mind trying. I am trying to upload from Wikipedia and into my common.js file which (on Wikipedia at least) automatically runs for you to do something, but it is completely failing. It probably isn’t possible and I am wasting my time to be honest. Thanks for asking! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:03, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
::Have looked into it with some of the technical folks, and we currently have user Javascript disabled for security reasons. I'll have them take a look and get back to you! But just wanted to let you know it wasn't a 'you' problem lol [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:48, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Ah okay! Time to use common.css (somehow??) [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:47, 6 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Thinking about it, I am quite happy that you chose to disable Javascript! I hate that thing anyway because it is not secure and looks like a pain to program in anyway. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:48, 6 October 2025 (UTC)

==Wiki help==

Hi! I have a wiki on Miraheze that I created recently and was wondering if you're open to helping me out with some admin stuff? You seem to enjoy tinkering with CRW, so I was hoping we could work together for a bit on this new wiki. Is that something you'd be interested in? [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 17:57, 8 October 2025 (UTC)

:Sure! I actually have self-hosted mediawiki instances (on my own computer using something called XAMPP, you can’t look it up online) so I wouldn’t mind helping out! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:25, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:Also, how did you get the name ‘Beanie Bo’? I’ve been curious but never asked on your talk page. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:26, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::Nice! Can you email me via my user page and let me know your email so we can talk about it? The wiki is currently set to private but I'll open it so you can create a user account.
::As for my wiki name, well Beanie is just a throwaway that I use sometimes. It was a play on Mr. Bean lol, and the Bo part just randomly came to mind when I created this wiki account. I didn't expect to be so involved with CRW for this long but it turned out great! [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 19:44, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Sorry, I don’t use my main email for things like wikis, but I can attach a temporary email address if you want to talk via email. I used to use a temporary email address up until I thought it was an awful idea if I randomly got mail from it. Cool story on the name though! Did remind me of Mr. Bean. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:49, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::::It's all good. I'll just link it here. Apparently you can create account even when it's set to private...? I'll verify you once it shows up for me. Also, I can't do much at the moment since I'm not at my desktop. The mobile theme is so broken lol.. maybe tomorrow we can discuss it more
[[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 20:04, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::You cannot create an account, I couldn’t find the create account button there so I went to [[Special:CreateAccount]] where it said you needed to be a member to create it. There is a setting in MediaWiki where you can make others be able to request an account and you can accept it, though. That is probably what you saw. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:22, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::::::I made it public. Should be good now (I hope!) [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 21:00, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::::Yeah, it works - going to create an account now. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:12, 9 October 2025 (UTC)

==lmao what is going on with your commits==

im looking at the wiki commit log feed and you seem to be having a lot of fun with commit names such as "huh" and "WHAAT". very entertaining seeing you go. have a nice day :) [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 19:57, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

:Yeah, I love having fun in edit summaries lol. Especially as they generally aren’t seen (except when I go to [[Special:Random]] and go to page history). Glad someone enjoys them! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:01, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::Ive read through some of your stuff. You arent on discord so you dont know this, but on the wiki discord there is a channel that is just a big stream of commits with their summary. I love peeking through them and seeing what people are doing. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 20:03, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
:::LOL what??? That is insane… Thanks for telling me that, that is so funny! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:05, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::::you can also go to [[Special:RecentChanges]] [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 20:08, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::Yeah, I have recently taken up a habit of patrolling that, but I don’t think many others (if any others at all) do that, so an entire channel dedicated to discord is a much bigger step up. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:09, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::::::person after my own heart lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:06, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

==listen man you are awesome==

i dont know how you find the time to contribute this much to the wiki but man you are awesome. keep it up. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 03:58, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

:Thanks! <s>the answer is I have no life</s> [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:05, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

==Congratulations!==

You won!!

For the first year of the Wiki, you've made more edits than anyone else! Louis doesn't count cause he cheated with bulk image import.

We'll be getting a proper awards/profile medal plugin in the next month or so, and you'll absolutely be getting a shiny gold one! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 17:34, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

:Nice! Glad about a new plugin coming, the current one does try but it doesn't get perfect results! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:40, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::The moment I saw it said 1000 articles I knew I had to immediately [https://web.archive.org/web/20260114171716/https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Main_Page archive it]. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:53, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:::Nice! James was gutted last night because it was at 999, and then he created one, and then went to the front page, and saw that you had deleted two old ones so it went to 998! Looks like we're comfortably at/over 1000 now though. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:28, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::::Oh no! Well, I had to do what I had to do... [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:31, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

==SINEXTITAN THERE ARE MILLIONS==

wha? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:02, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

:what feels like millions of files you marked for deletion. im trying to find a way to delete all of them at once right now [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:05, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::lmao pick up the pace buddy cuz I ain't done 😎 [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:08, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::oh. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:08, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::hey a question, getting a "Warning: A file by that name has been deleted or moved.". do I ignore it? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:20, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::ignore, I've gotten that before out of nowhere too [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:21, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::yo dis what? [[File:Rainbow trout transparent.png]] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:44, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::for a very stupid import of Wikipedia ({{wplink|Template:Trout|this was where I got it from}}), so I'll delete it now [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:45, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::lmao cool cool. I didn't even know of its existence. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:47, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

==I'm fookin gutted m8==

hope you don't mind the prank lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:28, 24 January 2026 (UTC)

:no I don't lol [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:30, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::also you spelt my name wrong in the deletion log. it's spelt S i n e x T i t a n. please keep that in mind for the ''next'' time [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:36, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::okay cinekschichun [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:37, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::::>:( fine AnotherConsumerButtPerson [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:37, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::hey so my shit disappeared from [[Special:ContributionScores]] lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 21:32, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::wait what [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:59, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::welp sorry [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:59, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::nah it's cool lmao. kinda enjoying myself being a ghost lol. I get to haunt #1. besides, in the grand scheme of things what's sm stupid binary? I already knows in my heart I'm #1, which's all that matters. <3 [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 07:29, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::yay its fixed now! so much for haunting the leaderboards lmao [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 14:41, 25 January 2026 (UTC)

==disscussion in the disscussion :O==

hey so I started [[Chat Control]] a while back and today I checked it after seeing Mullvad's latest post on the Fediverse. It's pretty much in the same state as I last left it. I only know abt Chat Control as much as I've contributed and I currently don't have the time to further contribute. I couldn't figure out where to discuss this and didn't want to clog up [[Consumer Rights Wiki talk:Moderators' noticeboard]], so I hope you don't mind. Is there a way we can further its development b4 the June deadline? The negotations have started recently so the lack of coverage could be excused, but I feel like this problem is one that mandates the wiki. People could link their reps this article for them to read and comprehend as to y this is a problem to be opposed. Alongside people that never heard of it, know little abt it or whatever their situation might be, can be further enlightened on the topic. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:35, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

:Sure, I haven't seen Mullvad's post yet though. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:02, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
::Can you provide a link to Mullvad's post? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:33, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::[https://mastodon.online/@mullvadnet/116137711661598894 here] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:04, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::I've added a bit, more to come soon (if I don't forget). [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:25, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

==Hmmm==

You might wanna add the scoring template on my user page so I can see the numbers man ...... is it true!??? [[User:Im8685|Im8685]] ([[User talk:Im8685|talk]]) 08:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)

:*from [[User:Im8685|Im8685]] ([[User talk:Im8685|talk]]) 08:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
I won't display it on my userpage, but I'll put it here. For licensing reasons, I'll say I got the table from [[User:Im8685]].
{| class="wikitable" align="right"
|+'''<big>Current Contribution Scores</big>'''
!Total Score||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson}}
|-
!Edited Pages||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|pages}}
|-
!Total Changes||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|changes}}
|} [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:06, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
{{Clear}}

==Psst==

we're not officially launching it yet (will probably do so on sunday or monday), but we're setting up the zulip now and want to get mods etc. onboarded. Expect a bit of jank while we do the setup!

https://zulip.consumerrights.wiki/ [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 22:42, 13 March 2026 (UTC)

:I'll log in now (with a temp email address). [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:08, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::@[[User:Keith|Keith]] are temp email addresses allowed? I had to specifically get one with a gmail.com domain because the others are disallowed. Or is that a discord issue?? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:16, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::shouldn't be anything to do with discord - I'll pass it on to jake [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 06:41, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

==adding archive video to article==

hey,

wondering if it would be possible (and a good idea) to upload this instagram reel from this wiki article to the wiki: [[Happy Bar & Grill biometric surveillance tool development#cite ref-12]] Citation #12, that way it's uploaded to the wiki and it's basically archived.

I unfortunately don't have an archive.org account otherwise I would've made a page for it and linked to it as an archive. I don't think wayback does backups for instagram pages.

Can't upload the video to the wiki, says it requires sysops priv.

The video is here if you or someone else would like to upload it and add it to the article: https://bin.nixnet.services/?175d0b8a39f3b062#HEoLUhyAiRUAJoyP5NqkzYBjbkMUxsPtuNfhwr6Li5Ac

it'll be valid for a month. Proceed how you like, it's your decision to use it or not.

Also, if there's a website that does video archives without an account, I'd love to know about it.

- L4C [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:20, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

:I've found this: https://imginn.com/reel/DSUYij0jLkY but it doesn't seem like an archival service. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:30, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::I'm not entirely sure of the copyright status of the video though, so I'm currently not sure if I should upload it or not in the first place. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:32, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::That's also a point, I'll see what I can do. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::[[:File:UNWE-unknown-face-alerts.png]]
:::the option is there. I just screenshotted from the reel. Copyright issues are still potentially there.
:::given the heat on the issue at the moment and the recent actions around it that could lead to problems, I won't be uploading anything to it. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:51, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::thanks for talking through it with me, I appreciate the help. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:52, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::interesting find, but I think you're right, it likely isn't an archive.
::The consumerrights wiki IPFS filestore grows in demand every day
::I'm going to try and take a capture of this frontend and see if it saves the video, that might be the ticket. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::got cloudflared, it might be better to just take some important screenshots off of the video and upload those instead. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:43, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson

2026-03-14T20:51:09Z

Left4Code: /* adding archive video to article */ Reply

{{User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson/Transcluded thingy}}

Hi! This is my user talk page. Just leave me a message and I’ll respond when I can. If you want a request for a moderator to do something, it is much better for you to go to the [[Project talk:Moderators' noticeboard|Moderators' noticeboard]], as it will be much quicker to get a response than here and I'm very active there too.
 '''If there is a message I haven't replied to in more than 5 days, then I'm completely fine with you spam pinging me until I do reply.'''
==Do you need a hand?==

I just saw your edit notes lol, but not sure exactly what you're trying? If you need a hand I can try and help/find someone who's around. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:43, 5 October 2025 (UTC)

:Lol thanks, I am trying to add userscripts and losing my mind trying. I am trying to upload from Wikipedia and into my common.js file which (on Wikipedia at least) automatically runs for you to do something, but it is completely failing. It probably isn’t possible and I am wasting my time to be honest. Thanks for asking! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:03, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
::Have looked into it with some of the technical folks, and we currently have user Javascript disabled for security reasons. I'll have them take a look and get back to you! But just wanted to let you know it wasn't a 'you' problem lol [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:48, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Ah okay! Time to use common.css (somehow??) [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:47, 6 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Thinking about it, I am quite happy that you chose to disable Javascript! I hate that thing anyway because it is not secure and looks like a pain to program in anyway. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:48, 6 October 2025 (UTC)

==Wiki help==

Hi! I have a wiki on Miraheze that I created recently and was wondering if you're open to helping me out with some admin stuff? You seem to enjoy tinkering with CRW, so I was hoping we could work together for a bit on this new wiki. Is that something you'd be interested in? [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 17:57, 8 October 2025 (UTC)

:Sure! I actually have self-hosted mediawiki instances (on my own computer using something called XAMPP, you can’t look it up online) so I wouldn’t mind helping out! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:25, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:Also, how did you get the name ‘Beanie Bo’? I’ve been curious but never asked on your talk page. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:26, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::Nice! Can you email me via my user page and let me know your email so we can talk about it? The wiki is currently set to private but I'll open it so you can create a user account.
::As for my wiki name, well Beanie is just a throwaway that I use sometimes. It was a play on Mr. Bean lol, and the Bo part just randomly came to mind when I created this wiki account. I didn't expect to be so involved with CRW for this long but it turned out great! [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 19:44, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Sorry, I don’t use my main email for things like wikis, but I can attach a temporary email address if you want to talk via email. I used to use a temporary email address up until I thought it was an awful idea if I randomly got mail from it. Cool story on the name though! Did remind me of Mr. Bean. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:49, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::::It's all good. I'll just link it here. Apparently you can create account even when it's set to private...? I'll verify you once it shows up for me. Also, I can't do much at the moment since I'm not at my desktop. The mobile theme is so broken lol.. maybe tomorrow we can discuss it more
[[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 20:04, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::You cannot create an account, I couldn’t find the create account button there so I went to [[Special:CreateAccount]] where it said you needed to be a member to create it. There is a setting in MediaWiki where you can make others be able to request an account and you can accept it, though. That is probably what you saw. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:22, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::::::I made it public. Should be good now (I hope!) [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 21:00, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::::Yeah, it works - going to create an account now. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:12, 9 October 2025 (UTC)

==lmao what is going on with your commits==

im looking at the wiki commit log feed and you seem to be having a lot of fun with commit names such as "huh" and "WHAAT". very entertaining seeing you go. have a nice day :) [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 19:57, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

:Yeah, I love having fun in edit summaries lol. Especially as they generally aren’t seen (except when I go to [[Special:Random]] and go to page history). Glad someone enjoys them! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:01, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::Ive read through some of your stuff. You arent on discord so you dont know this, but on the wiki discord there is a channel that is just a big stream of commits with their summary. I love peeking through them and seeing what people are doing. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 20:03, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
:::LOL what??? That is insane… Thanks for telling me that, that is so funny! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:05, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::::you can also go to [[Special:RecentChanges]] [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 20:08, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::Yeah, I have recently taken up a habit of patrolling that, but I don’t think many others (if any others at all) do that, so an entire channel dedicated to discord is a much bigger step up. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:09, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::::::person after my own heart lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:06, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

==listen man you are awesome==

i dont know how you find the time to contribute this much to the wiki but man you are awesome. keep it up. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 03:58, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

:Thanks! <s>the answer is I have no life</s> [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:05, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

==Congratulations!==

You won!!

For the first year of the Wiki, you've made more edits than anyone else! Louis doesn't count cause he cheated with bulk image import.

We'll be getting a proper awards/profile medal plugin in the next month or so, and you'll absolutely be getting a shiny gold one! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 17:34, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

:Nice! Glad about a new plugin coming, the current one does try but it doesn't get perfect results! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:40, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::The moment I saw it said 1000 articles I knew I had to immediately [https://web.archive.org/web/20260114171716/https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Main_Page archive it]. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:53, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:::Nice! James was gutted last night because it was at 999, and then he created one, and then went to the front page, and saw that you had deleted two old ones so it went to 998! Looks like we're comfortably at/over 1000 now though. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:28, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::::Oh no! Well, I had to do what I had to do... [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:31, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

==SINEXTITAN THERE ARE MILLIONS==

wha? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:02, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

:what feels like millions of files you marked for deletion. im trying to find a way to delete all of them at once right now [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:05, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::lmao pick up the pace buddy cuz I ain't done 😎 [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:08, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::oh. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:08, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::hey a question, getting a "Warning: A file by that name has been deleted or moved.". do I ignore it? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:20, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::ignore, I've gotten that before out of nowhere too [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:21, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::yo dis what? [[File:Rainbow trout transparent.png]] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:44, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::for a very stupid import of Wikipedia ({{wplink|Template:Trout|this was where I got it from}}), so I'll delete it now [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:45, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::lmao cool cool. I didn't even know of its existence. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:47, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

==I'm fookin gutted m8==

hope you don't mind the prank lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:28, 24 January 2026 (UTC)

:no I don't lol [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:30, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::also you spelt my name wrong in the deletion log. it's spelt S i n e x T i t a n. please keep that in mind for the ''next'' time [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:36, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::okay cinekschichun [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:37, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::::>:( fine AnotherConsumerButtPerson [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:37, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::hey so my shit disappeared from [[Special:ContributionScores]] lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 21:32, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::wait what [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:59, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::welp sorry [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:59, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::nah it's cool lmao. kinda enjoying myself being a ghost lol. I get to haunt #1. besides, in the grand scheme of things what's sm stupid binary? I already knows in my heart I'm #1, which's all that matters. <3 [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 07:29, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::yay its fixed now! so much for haunting the leaderboards lmao [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 14:41, 25 January 2026 (UTC)

==disscussion in the disscussion :O==

hey so I started [[Chat Control]] a while back and today I checked it after seeing Mullvad's latest post on the Fediverse. It's pretty much in the same state as I last left it. I only know abt Chat Control as much as I've contributed and I currently don't have the time to further contribute. I couldn't figure out where to discuss this and didn't want to clog up [[Consumer Rights Wiki talk:Moderators' noticeboard]], so I hope you don't mind. Is there a way we can further its development b4 the June deadline? The negotations have started recently so the lack of coverage could be excused, but I feel like this problem is one that mandates the wiki. People could link their reps this article for them to read and comprehend as to y this is a problem to be opposed. Alongside people that never heard of it, know little abt it or whatever their situation might be, can be further enlightened on the topic. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:35, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

:Sure, I haven't seen Mullvad's post yet though. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:02, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
::Can you provide a link to Mullvad's post? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:33, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::[https://mastodon.online/@mullvadnet/116137711661598894 here] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:04, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::I've added a bit, more to come soon (if I don't forget). [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:25, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

==Hmmm==

You might wanna add the scoring template on my user page so I can see the numbers man ...... is it true!??? [[User:Im8685|Im8685]] ([[User talk:Im8685|talk]]) 08:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)

:*from [[User:Im8685|Im8685]] ([[User talk:Im8685|talk]]) 08:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
I won't display it on my userpage, but I'll put it here. For licensing reasons, I'll say I got the table from [[User:Im8685]].
{| class="wikitable" align="right"
|+'''<big>Current Contribution Scores</big>'''
!Total Score||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson}}
|-
!Edited Pages||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|pages}}
|-
!Total Changes||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|changes}}
|} [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:06, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
{{Clear}}

==Psst==

we're not officially launching it yet (will probably do so on sunday or monday), but we're setting up the zulip now and want to get mods etc. onboarded. Expect a bit of jank while we do the setup!

https://zulip.consumerrights.wiki/ [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 22:42, 13 March 2026 (UTC)

:I'll log in now (with a temp email address). [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:08, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::@[[User:Keith|Keith]] are temp email addresses allowed? I had to specifically get one with a gmail.com domain because the others are disallowed. Or is that a discord issue?? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:16, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::shouldn't be anything to do with discord - I'll pass it on to jake [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 06:41, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

==adding archive video to article==

hey,

wondering if it would be possible (and a good idea) to upload this instagram reel from this wiki article to the wiki: [[Happy Bar & Grill biometric surveillance tool development#cite ref-12]] Citation #12, that way it's uploaded to the wiki and it's basically archived.

I unfortunately don't have an archive.org account otherwise I would've made a page for it and linked to it as an archive. I don't think wayback does backups for instagram pages.

Can't upload the video to the wiki, says it requires sysops priv.

The video is here if you or someone else would like to upload it and add it to the article: https://bin.nixnet.services/?175d0b8a39f3b062#HEoLUhyAiRUAJoyP5NqkzYBjbkMUxsPtuNfhwr6Li5Ac

it'll be valid for a month. Proceed how you like, it's your decision to use it or not.

Also, if there's a website that does video archives without an account, I'd love to know about it.

- L4C [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:20, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

:I've found this: https://imginn.com/reel/DSUYij0jLkY but it doesn't seem like an archival service. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:30, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::I'm not entirely sure of the copyright status of the video though, so I'm currently not sure if I should upload it or not in the first place. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:32, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::That's also a point, I'll see what I can do. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::[[:File:UNWE-unknown-face-alerts.png]]
:::the option is there. I just screenshotted from the reel. Copyright issues are still potentially there.
:::given the heat on the issue at the moment and the recent actions around it that could lead to problems, I won't be uploading anything to it. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:51, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::interesting find, but I think you're right, it likely isn't an archive.
::The consumerrights wiki IPFS filestore grows in demand every day
::I'm going to try and take a capture of this frontend and see if it saves the video, that might be the ticket. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::got cloudflared, it might be better to just take some important screenshots off of the video and upload those instead. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:43, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

File:UNWE-unknown-face-alerts.png

2026-03-14T20:48:43Z

Left4Code: Photo displaying the face alerts for UNWE. Captured as a screenshot from the original instagram reel

== Summary ==
Photo displaying the face alerts for UNWE. Captured as a screenshot from the original instagram reel
== Licensing ==
{{Stolen}}

User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson

2026-03-14T20:43:42Z

Left4Code: /* adding archive video to article */ Reply

{{User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson/Transcluded thingy}}

Hi! This is my user talk page. Just leave me a message and I’ll respond when I can. If you want a request for a moderator to do something, it is much better for you to go to the [[Project talk:Moderators' noticeboard|Moderators' noticeboard]], as it will be much quicker to get a response than here and I'm very active there too.
 '''If there is a message I haven't replied to in more than 5 days, then I'm completely fine with you spam pinging me until I do reply.'''
==Do you need a hand?==

I just saw your edit notes lol, but not sure exactly what you're trying? If you need a hand I can try and help/find someone who's around. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:43, 5 October 2025 (UTC)

:Lol thanks, I am trying to add userscripts and losing my mind trying. I am trying to upload from Wikipedia and into my common.js file which (on Wikipedia at least) automatically runs for you to do something, but it is completely failing. It probably isn’t possible and I am wasting my time to be honest. Thanks for asking! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:03, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
::Have looked into it with some of the technical folks, and we currently have user Javascript disabled for security reasons. I'll have them take a look and get back to you! But just wanted to let you know it wasn't a 'you' problem lol [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:48, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Ah okay! Time to use common.css (somehow??) [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:47, 6 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Thinking about it, I am quite happy that you chose to disable Javascript! I hate that thing anyway because it is not secure and looks like a pain to program in anyway. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:48, 6 October 2025 (UTC)

==Wiki help==

Hi! I have a wiki on Miraheze that I created recently and was wondering if you're open to helping me out with some admin stuff? You seem to enjoy tinkering with CRW, so I was hoping we could work together for a bit on this new wiki. Is that something you'd be interested in? [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 17:57, 8 October 2025 (UTC)

:Sure! I actually have self-hosted mediawiki instances (on my own computer using something called XAMPP, you can’t look it up online) so I wouldn’t mind helping out! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:25, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:Also, how did you get the name ‘Beanie Bo’? I’ve been curious but never asked on your talk page. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:26, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::Nice! Can you email me via my user page and let me know your email so we can talk about it? The wiki is currently set to private but I'll open it so you can create a user account.
::As for my wiki name, well Beanie is just a throwaway that I use sometimes. It was a play on Mr. Bean lol, and the Bo part just randomly came to mind when I created this wiki account. I didn't expect to be so involved with CRW for this long but it turned out great! [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 19:44, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Sorry, I don’t use my main email for things like wikis, but I can attach a temporary email address if you want to talk via email. I used to use a temporary email address up until I thought it was an awful idea if I randomly got mail from it. Cool story on the name though! Did remind me of Mr. Bean. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:49, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::::It's all good. I'll just link it here. Apparently you can create account even when it's set to private...? I'll verify you once it shows up for me. Also, I can't do much at the moment since I'm not at my desktop. The mobile theme is so broken lol.. maybe tomorrow we can discuss it more
[[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 20:04, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::You cannot create an account, I couldn’t find the create account button there so I went to [[Special:CreateAccount]] where it said you needed to be a member to create it. There is a setting in MediaWiki where you can make others be able to request an account and you can accept it, though. That is probably what you saw. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:22, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::::::I made it public. Should be good now (I hope!) [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 21:00, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::::Yeah, it works - going to create an account now. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:12, 9 October 2025 (UTC)

==lmao what is going on with your commits==

im looking at the wiki commit log feed and you seem to be having a lot of fun with commit names such as "huh" and "WHAAT". very entertaining seeing you go. have a nice day :) [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 19:57, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

:Yeah, I love having fun in edit summaries lol. Especially as they generally aren’t seen (except when I go to [[Special:Random]] and go to page history). Glad someone enjoys them! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:01, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::Ive read through some of your stuff. You arent on discord so you dont know this, but on the wiki discord there is a channel that is just a big stream of commits with their summary. I love peeking through them and seeing what people are doing. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 20:03, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
:::LOL what??? That is insane… Thanks for telling me that, that is so funny! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:05, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::::you can also go to [[Special:RecentChanges]] [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 20:08, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::Yeah, I have recently taken up a habit of patrolling that, but I don’t think many others (if any others at all) do that, so an entire channel dedicated to discord is a much bigger step up. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:09, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::::::person after my own heart lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:06, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

==listen man you are awesome==

i dont know how you find the time to contribute this much to the wiki but man you are awesome. keep it up. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 03:58, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

:Thanks! <s>the answer is I have no life</s> [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:05, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

==Congratulations!==

You won!!

For the first year of the Wiki, you've made more edits than anyone else! Louis doesn't count cause he cheated with bulk image import.

We'll be getting a proper awards/profile medal plugin in the next month or so, and you'll absolutely be getting a shiny gold one! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 17:34, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

:Nice! Glad about a new plugin coming, the current one does try but it doesn't get perfect results! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:40, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::The moment I saw it said 1000 articles I knew I had to immediately [https://web.archive.org/web/20260114171716/https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Main_Page archive it]. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:53, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:::Nice! James was gutted last night because it was at 999, and then he created one, and then went to the front page, and saw that you had deleted two old ones so it went to 998! Looks like we're comfortably at/over 1000 now though. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:28, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::::Oh no! Well, I had to do what I had to do... [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:31, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

==SINEXTITAN THERE ARE MILLIONS==

wha? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:02, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

:what feels like millions of files you marked for deletion. im trying to find a way to delete all of them at once right now [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:05, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::lmao pick up the pace buddy cuz I ain't done 😎 [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:08, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::oh. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:08, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::hey a question, getting a "Warning: A file by that name has been deleted or moved.". do I ignore it? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:20, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::ignore, I've gotten that before out of nowhere too [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:21, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::yo dis what? [[File:Rainbow trout transparent.png]] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:44, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::for a very stupid import of Wikipedia ({{wplink|Template:Trout|this was where I got it from}}), so I'll delete it now [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:45, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::lmao cool cool. I didn't even know of its existence. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:47, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

==I'm fookin gutted m8==

hope you don't mind the prank lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:28, 24 January 2026 (UTC)

:no I don't lol [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:30, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::also you spelt my name wrong in the deletion log. it's spelt S i n e x T i t a n. please keep that in mind for the ''next'' time [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:36, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::okay cinekschichun [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:37, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::::>:( fine AnotherConsumerButtPerson [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:37, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::hey so my shit disappeared from [[Special:ContributionScores]] lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 21:32, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::wait what [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:59, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::welp sorry [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:59, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::nah it's cool lmao. kinda enjoying myself being a ghost lol. I get to haunt #1. besides, in the grand scheme of things what's sm stupid binary? I already knows in my heart I'm #1, which's all that matters. <3 [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 07:29, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::yay its fixed now! so much for haunting the leaderboards lmao [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 14:41, 25 January 2026 (UTC)

==disscussion in the disscussion :O==

hey so I started [[Chat Control]] a while back and today I checked it after seeing Mullvad's latest post on the Fediverse. It's pretty much in the same state as I last left it. I only know abt Chat Control as much as I've contributed and I currently don't have the time to further contribute. I couldn't figure out where to discuss this and didn't want to clog up [[Consumer Rights Wiki talk:Moderators' noticeboard]], so I hope you don't mind. Is there a way we can further its development b4 the June deadline? The negotations have started recently so the lack of coverage could be excused, but I feel like this problem is one that mandates the wiki. People could link their reps this article for them to read and comprehend as to y this is a problem to be opposed. Alongside people that never heard of it, know little abt it or whatever their situation might be, can be further enlightened on the topic. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:35, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

:Sure, I haven't seen Mullvad's post yet though. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:02, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
::Can you provide a link to Mullvad's post? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:33, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::[https://mastodon.online/@mullvadnet/116137711661598894 here] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:04, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::I've added a bit, more to come soon (if I don't forget). [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:25, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

==Hmmm==

You might wanna add the scoring template on my user page so I can see the numbers man ...... is it true!??? [[User:Im8685|Im8685]] ([[User talk:Im8685|talk]]) 08:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)

:*from [[User:Im8685|Im8685]] ([[User talk:Im8685|talk]]) 08:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
I won't display it on my userpage, but I'll put it here. For licensing reasons, I'll say I got the table from [[User:Im8685]].
{| class="wikitable" align="right"
|+'''<big>Current Contribution Scores</big>'''
!Total Score||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson}}
|-
!Edited Pages||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|pages}}
|-
!Total Changes||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|changes}}
|} [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:06, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
{{Clear}}

==Psst==

we're not officially launching it yet (will probably do so on sunday or monday), but we're setting up the zulip now and want to get mods etc. onboarded. Expect a bit of jank while we do the setup!

https://zulip.consumerrights.wiki/ [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 22:42, 13 March 2026 (UTC)

:I'll log in now (with a temp email address). [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:08, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::@[[User:Keith|Keith]] are temp email addresses allowed? I had to specifically get one with a gmail.com domain because the others are disallowed. Or is that a discord issue?? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:16, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::shouldn't be anything to do with discord - I'll pass it on to jake [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 06:41, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

==adding archive video to article==

hey,

wondering if it would be possible (and a good idea) to upload this instagram reel from this wiki article to the wiki: [[Happy Bar & Grill biometric surveillance tool development#cite ref-12]] Citation #12, that way it's uploaded to the wiki and it's basically archived.

I unfortunately don't have an archive.org account otherwise I would've made a page for it and linked to it as an archive. I don't think wayback does backups for instagram pages.

Can't upload the video to the wiki, says it requires sysops priv.

The video is here if you or someone else would like to upload it and add it to the article: https://bin.nixnet.services/?175d0b8a39f3b062#HEoLUhyAiRUAJoyP5NqkzYBjbkMUxsPtuNfhwr6Li5Ac

it'll be valid for a month. Proceed how you like, it's your decision to use it or not.

Also, if there's a website that does video archives without an account, I'd love to know about it.

- L4C [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:20, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

:I've found this: https://imginn.com/reel/DSUYij0jLkY but it doesn't seem like an archival service. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:30, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::I'm not entirely sure of the copyright status of the video though, so I'm currently not sure if I should upload it or not in the first place. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:32, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::That's also a point, I'll see what I can do. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::interesting find, but I think you're right, it likely isn't an archive.
::The consumerrights wiki IPFS filestore grows in demand every day
::I'm going to try and take a capture of this frontend and see if it saves the video, that might be the ticket. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::got cloudflared, it might be better to just take some important screenshots off of the video and upload those instead. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:43, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson

2026-03-14T20:36:44Z

Left4Code: /* adding archive video to article */ Reply

{{User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson/Transcluded thingy}}

Hi! This is my user talk page. Just leave me a message and I’ll respond when I can. If you want a request for a moderator to do something, it is much better for you to go to the [[Project talk:Moderators' noticeboard|Moderators' noticeboard]], as it will be much quicker to get a response than here and I'm very active there too.
 '''If there is a message I haven't replied to in more than 5 days, then I'm completely fine with you spam pinging me until I do reply.'''
==Do you need a hand?==

I just saw your edit notes lol, but not sure exactly what you're trying? If you need a hand I can try and help/find someone who's around. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:43, 5 October 2025 (UTC)

:Lol thanks, I am trying to add userscripts and losing my mind trying. I am trying to upload from Wikipedia and into my common.js file which (on Wikipedia at least) automatically runs for you to do something, but it is completely failing. It probably isn’t possible and I am wasting my time to be honest. Thanks for asking! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:03, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
::Have looked into it with some of the technical folks, and we currently have user Javascript disabled for security reasons. I'll have them take a look and get back to you! But just wanted to let you know it wasn't a 'you' problem lol [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:48, 5 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Ah okay! Time to use common.css (somehow??) [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:47, 6 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Thinking about it, I am quite happy that you chose to disable Javascript! I hate that thing anyway because it is not secure and looks like a pain to program in anyway. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:48, 6 October 2025 (UTC)

==Wiki help==

Hi! I have a wiki on Miraheze that I created recently and was wondering if you're open to helping me out with some admin stuff? You seem to enjoy tinkering with CRW, so I was hoping we could work together for a bit on this new wiki. Is that something you'd be interested in? [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 17:57, 8 October 2025 (UTC)

:Sure! I actually have self-hosted mediawiki instances (on my own computer using something called XAMPP, you can’t look it up online) so I wouldn’t mind helping out! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:25, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:Also, how did you get the name ‘Beanie Bo’? I’ve been curious but never asked on your talk page. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:26, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::Nice! Can you email me via my user page and let me know your email so we can talk about it? The wiki is currently set to private but I'll open it so you can create a user account.
::As for my wiki name, well Beanie is just a throwaway that I use sometimes. It was a play on Mr. Bean lol, and the Bo part just randomly came to mind when I created this wiki account. I didn't expect to be so involved with CRW for this long but it turned out great! [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 19:44, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::Sorry, I don’t use my main email for things like wikis, but I can attach a temporary email address if you want to talk via email. I used to use a temporary email address up until I thought it was an awful idea if I randomly got mail from it. Cool story on the name though! Did remind me of Mr. Bean. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:49, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::::It's all good. I'll just link it here. Apparently you can create account even when it's set to private...? I'll verify you once it shows up for me. Also, I can't do much at the moment since I'm not at my desktop. The mobile theme is so broken lol.. maybe tomorrow we can discuss it more
[[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 20:04, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::You cannot create an account, I couldn’t find the create account button there so I went to [[Special:CreateAccount]] where it said you needed to be a member to create it. There is a setting in MediaWiki where you can make others be able to request an account and you can accept it, though. That is probably what you saw. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:22, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
::::::I made it public. Should be good now (I hope!) [[User:Beanie Bo|Beanie Bo]] ([[User talk:Beanie Bo|talk]]) 21:00, 8 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::::Yeah, it works - going to create an account now. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:12, 9 October 2025 (UTC)

==lmao what is going on with your commits==

im looking at the wiki commit log feed and you seem to be having a lot of fun with commit names such as "huh" and "WHAAT". very entertaining seeing you go. have a nice day :) [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 19:57, 19 October 2025 (UTC)

:Yeah, I love having fun in edit summaries lol. Especially as they generally aren’t seen (except when I go to [[Special:Random]] and go to page history). Glad someone enjoys them! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:01, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::Ive read through some of your stuff. You arent on discord so you dont know this, but on the wiki discord there is a channel that is just a big stream of commits with their summary. I love peeking through them and seeing what people are doing. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 20:03, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
:::LOL what??? That is insane… Thanks for telling me that, that is so funny! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:05, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::::you can also go to [[Special:RecentChanges]] [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 20:08, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
:::::Yeah, I have recently taken up a habit of patrolling that, but I don’t think many others (if any others at all) do that, so an entire channel dedicated to discord is a much bigger step up. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:09, 19 October 2025 (UTC)
::::::person after my own heart lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:06, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

==listen man you are awesome==

i dont know how you find the time to contribute this much to the wiki but man you are awesome. keep it up. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 03:58, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

:Thanks! <s>the answer is I have no life</s> [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|AnotherConsumerRightsPerson]] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:05, 27 October 2025 (UTC)

==Congratulations!==

You won!!

For the first year of the Wiki, you've made more edits than anyone else! Louis doesn't count cause he cheated with bulk image import.

We'll be getting a proper awards/profile medal plugin in the next month or so, and you'll absolutely be getting a shiny gold one! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 17:34, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

:Nice! Glad about a new plugin coming, the current one does try but it doesn't get perfect results! [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:40, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::The moment I saw it said 1000 articles I knew I had to immediately [https://web.archive.org/web/20260114171716/https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Main_Page archive it]. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 18:53, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:::Nice! James was gutted last night because it was at 999, and then he created one, and then went to the front page, and saw that you had deleted two old ones so it went to 998! Looks like we're comfortably at/over 1000 now though. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:28, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::::Oh no! Well, I had to do what I had to do... [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:31, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

==SINEXTITAN THERE ARE MILLIONS==

wha? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:02, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

:what feels like millions of files you marked for deletion. im trying to find a way to delete all of them at once right now [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:05, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::lmao pick up the pace buddy cuz I ain't done 😎 [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:08, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::oh. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:08, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::hey a question, getting a "Warning: A file by that name has been deleted or moved.". do I ignore it? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:20, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::ignore, I've gotten that before out of nowhere too [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:21, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::yo dis what? [[File:Rainbow trout transparent.png]] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:44, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::for a very stupid import of Wikipedia ({{wplink|Template:Trout|this was where I got it from}}), so I'll delete it now [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:45, 15 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::lmao cool cool. I didn't even know of its existence. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:47, 15 January 2026 (UTC)

==I'm fookin gutted m8==

hope you don't mind the prank lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:28, 24 January 2026 (UTC)

:no I don't lol [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:30, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::also you spelt my name wrong in the deletion log. it's spelt S i n e x T i t a n. please keep that in mind for the ''next'' time [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:36, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::okay cinekschichun [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 19:37, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::::>:( fine AnotherConsumerButtPerson [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 19:37, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::hey so my shit disappeared from [[Special:ContributionScores]] lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 21:32, 24 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::wait what [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:59, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::welp sorry [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:59, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
::::::::nah it's cool lmao. kinda enjoying myself being a ghost lol. I get to haunt #1. besides, in the grand scheme of things what's sm stupid binary? I already knows in my heart I'm #1, which's all that matters. <3 [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 07:29, 25 January 2026 (UTC)
:::::::::yay its fixed now! so much for haunting the leaderboards lmao [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 14:41, 25 January 2026 (UTC)

==disscussion in the disscussion :O==

hey so I started [[Chat Control]] a while back and today I checked it after seeing Mullvad's latest post on the Fediverse. It's pretty much in the same state as I last left it. I only know abt Chat Control as much as I've contributed and I currently don't have the time to further contribute. I couldn't figure out where to discuss this and didn't want to clog up [[Consumer Rights Wiki talk:Moderators' noticeboard]], so I hope you don't mind. Is there a way we can further its development b4 the June deadline? The negotations have started recently so the lack of coverage could be excused, but I feel like this problem is one that mandates the wiki. People could link their reps this article for them to read and comprehend as to y this is a problem to be opposed. Alongside people that never heard of it, know little abt it or whatever their situation might be, can be further enlightened on the topic. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:35, 26 February 2026 (UTC)

:Sure, I haven't seen Mullvad's post yet though. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:02, 26 February 2026 (UTC)
::Can you provide a link to Mullvad's post? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:33, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
:::[https://mastodon.online/@mullvadnet/116137711661598894 here] [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 16:04, 1 March 2026 (UTC)
::::I've added a bit, more to come soon (if I don't forget). [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:25, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

==Hmmm==

You might wanna add the scoring template on my user page so I can see the numbers man ...... is it true!??? [[User:Im8685|Im8685]] ([[User talk:Im8685|talk]]) 08:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)

:*from [[User:Im8685|Im8685]] ([[User talk:Im8685|talk]]) 08:11, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
I won't display it on my userpage, but I'll put it here. For licensing reasons, I'll say I got the table from [[User:Im8685]].
{| class="wikitable" align="right"
|+'''<big>Current Contribution Scores</big>'''
!Total Score||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson}}
|-
!Edited Pages||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|pages}}
|-
!Total Changes||{{#cscore:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|changes}}
|} [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 16:06, 9 March 2026 (UTC)
{{Clear}}

==Psst==

we're not officially launching it yet (will probably do so on sunday or monday), but we're setting up the zulip now and want to get mods etc. onboarded. Expect a bit of jank while we do the setup!

https://zulip.consumerrights.wiki/ [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 22:42, 13 March 2026 (UTC)

:I'll log in now (with a temp email address). [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:08, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::@[[User:Keith|Keith]] are temp email addresses allowed? I had to specifically get one with a gmail.com domain because the others are disallowed. Or is that a discord issue?? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 06:16, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::shouldn't be anything to do with discord - I'll pass it on to jake [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 06:41, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

==adding archive video to article==

hey,

wondering if it would be possible (and a good idea) to upload this instagram reel from this wiki article to the wiki: [[Happy Bar & Grill biometric surveillance tool development#cite ref-12]] Citation #12, that way it's uploaded to the wiki and it's basically archived.

I unfortunately don't have an archive.org account otherwise I would've made a page for it and linked to it as an archive. I don't think wayback does backups for instagram pages.

Can't upload the video to the wiki, says it requires sysops priv.

The video is here if you or someone else would like to upload it and add it to the article: https://bin.nixnet.services/?175d0b8a39f3b062#HEoLUhyAiRUAJoyP5NqkzYBjbkMUxsPtuNfhwr6Li5Ac

it'll be valid for a month. Proceed how you like, it's your decision to use it or not.

Also, if there's a website that does video archives without an account, I'd love to know about it.

- L4C [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:20, 14 March 2026 (UTC)

:I've found this: https://imginn.com/reel/DSUYij0jLkY but it doesn't seem like an archival service. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:30, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::I'm not entirely sure of the copyright status of the video though, so I'm currently not sure if I should upload it or not in the first place. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 20:32, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
:::That's also a point, I'll see what I can do. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
::interesting find, but I think you're right, it likely isn't an archive.
::The consumerrights wiki IPFS filestore grows in demand every day
::I'm going to try and take a capture of this frontend and see if it saves the video, that might be the ticket. [[User:Left4Code|Left4Code]] ([[User talk:Left4Code|talk]]) 20:36, 14 March 2026 (UTC)