Discontinuation bricking - Revision history

Beanie Bo: removed redundant header, minor re-org

2026-05-19T12:49:46Z

removed redundant header, minor re-org

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:49, 19 May 2026
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	==See also==		==See also==
			*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]
			*[[Remote disabling]]
			*[[End of life product\|EOL - end-of-life product]]
	*[[Spotify Car Thing]]		*[[Spotify Car Thing]]
	*[[Sonos]]		*[[Sonos]]
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	*[[Planned obsolescence]]		*[[Planned obsolescence]]
	*[[End of life product\|EOL - end-of-life product]]
	*[[Stop Killing Games]]		*[[Stop Killing Games]]
	*[[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software\|Rosetta Stone bricks legacy perpetual license CD software]]		*[[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software\|Rosetta Stone bricks legacy perpetual license CD software]]
	*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]

	~~==See also==~~

	*[[Remote disabling]]

	==References==		==References==

PixelRunner at 02:35, 2 April 2026

2026-04-02T02:35:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:35, 2 April 2026
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	[[Category:Anti-consumer practices]]		[[Category:Anti-consumer practices]]
	[[Category:Common terms]]		[[Category:Common terms]]
			[[Category:Theme]]
	[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]		[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
			[[Category:Bricking]]
	[[Category:Discontinuation bricking]]		[[Category:Discontinuation bricking]]

PixelRunner at 01:33, 1 April 2026

2026-04-01T01:33:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:33, 1 April 2026
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	After a product has been bricked, a consumer may wish to repair their product and return it to a functioning state. De-bricking a product is not impossible, but it can be difficult depending on the severity of the problem. Consumers will inevitably look to third parties for methods to bypass the bricking, which may expose them to [[security]] and safety risks. Bypasses may end up being expensive, with more complicated, server-dependent products requiring potentially complex server infrastructure.		After a product has been bricked, a consumer may wish to repair their product and return it to a functioning state. De-bricking a product is not impossible, but it can be difficult depending on the severity of the problem. Consumers will inevitably look to third parties for methods to bypass the bricking, which may expose them to [[security]] and safety risks. Bypasses may end up being expensive, with more complicated, server-dependent products requiring potentially complex server infrastructure.

	Due to section 1201 of the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]] (DMCA), if there is a software lock put in place by the manufacturer that prevents the user from de-bricking their product, it would become even more difficult to do so, as it would, in most cases, be illegal for someone to de-brick, or teach them how to de-brick, their product.		Due to [[DMCA Section 1201\|section 1201]] of the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]] (DMCA), if there is a software lock put in place by the manufacturer that prevents the user from de-bricking their product, it would become even more difficult to do so, as it would, in most cases, be illegal for someone to de-brick, or teach them how to de-brick, their product.

	===Resale falsification===		===Resale falsification===

PixelRunner: Some edits for conciseness and an addition of a reference to section 1201 of the DMCA

2026-04-01T01:25:28Z

Some edits for conciseness and an addition of a reference to section 1201 of the DMCA

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:25, 1 April 2026
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	\|}<!-- Please expand chart -->		\|}<!-- Please expand chart -->
	==Impact on consumer rights==		==Impact on consumer rights==
	Discontinuation bricking, similar to [[planned obsolescence]], harms the consumer by making a product they paid for eventually stop functioning, resulting in loss of ownership of the product as its functionality is stripped away.		Discontinuation bricking, similar to [[planned obsolescence]], harms the consumer by making a product they paid for eventually stop functioning, resulting in loss of ownership of the product as its functionality is stripped away. This forces the user to buy a new product.

	===Dependence on third-party bypasses===		===Dependence on third-party bypasses===
	After a product has been bricked, a consumer may wish to repair their product and return it to a functioning state. De-bricking a product is not impossible, but it can be difficult depending on the severity of the problem. Consumers will inevitably look to third parties for methods to bypass the bricking, which may expose them to [[security]] and safety risks. Bypasses may end up being expensive, with more complicated, server-dependent products requiring potentially complex server infrastructure.		After a product has been bricked, a consumer may wish to repair their product and return it to a functioning state. De-bricking a product is not impossible, but it can be difficult depending on the severity of the problem. Consumers will inevitably look to third parties for methods to bypass the bricking, which may expose them to [[security]] and safety risks. Bypasses may end up being expensive, with more complicated, server-dependent products requiring potentially complex server infrastructure.

			Due to section 1201 of the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]] (DMCA), if there is a software lock put in place by the manufacturer that prevents the user from de-bricking their product, it would become even more difficult to do so, as it would, in most cases, be illegal for someone to de-brick, or teach them how to de-brick, their product.

	===Resale falsification===		===Resale falsification===
	Products are often resold on the internet and may be put on sale before discontinuation, leading to the occurrence of valid information that becomes invalidated afterwards, causing [[false advertising]]. This has many implications:		Products are often resold on the internet and may be put on sale before discontinuation, leading to the occurrence of valid information that becomes invalidated afterwards, causing [[false advertising]]. This has many implications:

	#Sellers may be utterly unaware of the discontinuation, resulting in their product becoming bricked, and they will continue to sell it, potentially harming their reputation once the product becomes bricked ~~and non-functional~~.		#Sellers may be utterly unaware of the discontinuation, resulting in their product becoming bricked, and they will continue to sell it, potentially harming their reputation once the product becomes bricked.
	#Buyers may be unaware of the discontinuation and purchase the product, only to find it does not function~~, potentially causing harm to them~~.		#Buyers may be unaware of the discontinuation and purchase the product, only to find it does not function.
	#Customers may learn about the discontinuation and decide to sell the product without providing adequate details, even without any malicious intent.		#Customers may learn about the discontinuation and decide to sell the product without providing adequate details, even without any malicious intent.

SinexTitan: Discontinuation bricking

2026-03-26T04:57:13Z

Discontinuation bricking

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:57, 26 March 2026
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	[[Category:Common terms]]		[[Category:Common terms]]
	[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]		[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
			[[Category:Discontinuation bricking]]

SinexTitan: /* Further reading */ See Also

2026-03-26T04:49:34Z

Rudxain: Add "See also" with "Remote disabling"

2026-03-17T03:13:50Z

Add "See also" with "Remote disabling"

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:13, 17 March 2026
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	*[[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software\|Rosetta Stone bricks legacy perpetual license CD software]]		*[[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software\|Rosetta Stone bricks legacy perpetual license CD software]]
	*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]		*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]

			== See also ==

			* [[Remote disabling]]

	==References==		==References==

SpanishLearner: Clarity

2026-02-27T09:31:47Z

Clarity

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:31, 27 February 2026
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	*[[End of life product\|EOL - end-of-life product]]		*[[End of life product\|EOL - end-of-life product]]
	*[[Stop Killing Games]]		*[[Stop Killing Games]]
	*[[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software]]		*[[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software\|Rosetta Stone bricks legacy perpetual license CD software]]
	*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]		*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]

SpanishLearner: Added to the further readings section

2026-02-27T09:29:29Z

Added to the further readings section

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:29, 27 February 2026
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	*[[End of life product\|EOL - end-of-life product]]		*[[End of life product\|EOL - end-of-life product]]
	*[[Stop Killing Games]]		*[[Stop Killing Games]]
			*[[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software]]
	*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]		*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]

SpanishLearner: Added a bulletpoint to "Warning signs..."

2026-02-27T09:28:45Z

Added a bulletpoint to "Warning signs..."

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:28, 27 February 2026
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	*'''The product requires regular physical input:''' For example, [[HP Inc.]] printer ink has a [[Digital rights management\|DRM]] mechanism that forces consumers to use HP ink exclusively and does not allow third-party cartridges. If HP goes out of business or decides to stop producing its ink cartridges, any printer dependent on it will become bricked, effectively discontinuing the printer, even if not explicitly stated.		*'''The product requires regular physical input:''' For example, [[HP Inc.]] printer ink has a [[Digital rights management\|DRM]] mechanism that forces consumers to use HP ink exclusively and does not allow third-party cartridges. If HP goes out of business or decides to stop producing its ink cartridges, any printer dependent on it will become bricked, effectively discontinuing the printer, even if not explicitly stated.
	*Remote initial activation of any kind (e.g. phone based code or internet based), even if the product is CD based, has a perpetual license and requires no internet connection to run.		*Remote initial activation of any kind (e.g. phone based code or internet based), even if the product is CD based, has a perpetual license and requires no internet connection to run. [[Rosetta Stone]] recently [[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software\|bricked their legacy CD products and downloadable software]] by taking down their activation servers and refusing to give user activation codes over the phone.

	==Further reading==		==Further reading==

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:49, 26 March 2026
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	*Remote initial activation of any kind (e.g. phone based code or internet based), even if the product is CD based, has a perpetual license and requires no internet connection to run. [[Rosetta Stone]] recently [[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software\|bricked their legacy CD products and downloadable software]] by taking down their activation servers and refusing to give user activation codes over the phone.		*Remote initial activation of any kind (e.g. phone based code or internet based), even if the product is CD based, has a perpetual license and requires no internet connection to run. [[Rosetta Stone]] recently [[Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software\|bricked their legacy CD products and downloadable software]] by taking down their activation servers and refusing to give user activation codes over the phone.

	==~~Further reading~~==		==See also==
	*[[Spotify Car Thing]]		*[[Spotify Car Thing]]
	*[[Sonos]]		*[[Sonos]]
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	*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]		*[[List of products bricked by discontinuation]]

	== See also ==		==See also==

	* [[Remote disabling]]		*[[Remote disabling]]

	==References==		==References==