Right to own: Difference between revisions
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The '''right to own''' (also '''right of ownership''') is the expectation of the buyer of a product to be its owner in a general sense. This concept is a response to various actions by product manufacturers that put buyer's ownership into question, such as designing a product to act against buyer's interests or actively interfering in product maintenance or modification by the buyer, who generally presumes to become a full legal owner of the product, to whom such actions should not be restricted. Such cases are examples of a process commonly recognized as '''erosion of ownership'''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kamleitner |first=Bernadette |date=2018 |title=Blurring Boundaries and the Erosion of Ownership |url=https://research.wu.ac.at/en/publications/blurring-boundaries-and-the-erosion-of-ownership-7/ |url-status=live |website=WU Vienna University of Economics and Business}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Dan |date=2021-04-21 |title=The erosion of personal ownership |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22387601/smart-fridge-car-personal-ownership-internet-things |url-status=live |website=Vox}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moss |first=Sasha |date=2017-01-26 |title=The erosion of ownership in the digital age |url=https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/the-erosion-of-ownership-in-the-digital-age/ |url-status=live |website=R Street Institute}}</ref> | The '''right to own''' (also '''right of ownership''') is the expectation of the buyer of a product to be its owner in a general sense. This concept is a response to various actions by product manufacturers that put buyer's ownership into question, such as designing a product to act against buyer's interests or actively interfering in product maintenance or modification by the buyer, who generally presumes to become a full legal owner of the product, to whom such actions should not be restricted. Such cases are examples of a process commonly recognized as '''erosion of ownership'''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kamleitner |first=Bernadette |date=2018 |title=Blurring Boundaries and the Erosion of Ownership |url=https://research.wu.ac.at/en/publications/blurring-boundaries-and-the-erosion-of-ownership-7/ |url-status=live |website=WU Vienna University of Economics and Business}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Dan |date=2021-04-21 |title=The erosion of personal ownership |url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22387601/smart-fridge-car-personal-ownership-internet-things |url-status=live |website=Vox}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moss |first=Sasha |date=2017-01-26 |title=The erosion of ownership in the digital age |url=https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/the-erosion-of-ownership-in-the-digital-age/ |url-status=live |website=R Street Institute}}</ref> | ||
== The dispute over ownership == | ==The dispute over ownership== | ||
The extent of ownership is in dispute between manufacturers and buyers, where both sides seek to define it in their favor. This dispute emerged after technological advancements which have made products more complex and, in some cases, capable of being operated or altered remotely. | The extent of ownership is in dispute between manufacturers and buyers, where both sides seek to define it in their favor. This dispute emerged after technological advancements which have made products more complex and, in some cases, capable of being operated or altered remotely. | ||
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Product issues commonly associated with erosion of ownership can be roughly categorized into the following groups: | Product issues commonly associated with erosion of ownership can be roughly categorized into the following groups: | ||
=== Remote access === | ===Remote access=== | ||
Product designs that incorporate some form of remote access to a product for the manufacturer. This is especially prevalent in products that are designed to connect to the internet. | Product designs that incorporate some form of remote access to a product for the manufacturer. This is especially prevalent in products that are designed to connect to the internet. | ||
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Centralized remote access infrastructure is also an attractive target for bad actors that seek to take control of many devices at once, one instance of security oversight on part of the manufacturer can potentially compromise entire product lines. | Centralized remote access infrastructure is also an attractive target for bad actors that seek to take control of many devices at once, one instance of security oversight on part of the manufacturer can potentially compromise entire product lines. | ||
=== Maintenance impediments === | ===Maintenance impediments=== | ||
{{Main|Right to repair}} | {{Main|Right to repair}} | ||
Prolonged functioning of products often requires maintenance, such as replacement of wear parts and repair. Some manufacturers impose artificial constraints on maintenance of their products in a way that either keeps them involved in the maintenance process after the purchase or discourages maintenance entirely in order to reduce devices' lifespans and boost sales. | Prolonged functioning of products often requires maintenance, such as replacement of wear parts and repair. Some manufacturers impose artificial constraints on maintenance of their products in a way that either keeps them involved in the maintenance process after the purchase or discourages maintenance entirely in order to reduce devices' lifespans and boost sales. | ||
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Common techniques for this include deliberate use of non-standard parts, difficult procedure for wear part replacement, use of disposable parts (that are difficult to detach without breaking them), exclusivity agreements with parts manufacturers, restricted access to product schematics, part serialization and excessively restricted sale of spare parts (e. g. repair programs with excessive requirements, prohibitively high prices). | Common techniques for this include deliberate use of non-standard parts, difficult procedure for wear part replacement, use of disposable parts (that are difficult to detach without breaking them), exclusivity agreements with parts manufacturers, restricted access to product schematics, part serialization and excessively restricted sale of spare parts (e. g. repair programs with excessive requirements, prohibitively high prices). | ||
=== Conflict of interest === | ===Conflict of interest=== | ||
Products can be designed to protect the interests of parties other than the owner, most commonly the manufacturer and their business partners. The most common example of this is [[digital rights management]], which denies certain capabilities of a device to its owner under certain manufacturer-controlled circumstances, e. g. during playback of DRM-protected content. | Products can be designed to protect the interests of parties other than the owner, most commonly the manufacturer and their business partners. The most common example of this is [[digital rights management]], which denies certain capabilities of a device to its owner under certain manufacturer-controlled circumstances, e. g. during playback of DRM-protected content. | ||
Other examples include denying installation of software chosen by the owner (restrictions on [[sideloading]] and installation of aftermarket operating systems), locking the user into [[Cloud (service)|using manufacturer's services]] with no independent alternative and [[Right to own#Remote access|remotely controlling a device in ways its owner would not authorize]]. | Other examples include denying installation of software chosen by the owner (restrictions on [[sideloading]] and installation of aftermarket operating systems), locking the user into [[Cloud (service)|using manufacturer's services]] with no independent alternative and [[Right to own#Remote access|remotely controlling a device in ways its owner would not authorize]]. | ||
=== Poor security === | ===Poor security=== | ||
{{Main|Security}} | {{Main|Security}} | ||
Products that incorporate poor security measures can be exploited by unauthorized actors. Depending on the extent of access gained by circumventing security measures, consequences of this may range from misuse of product functions to effectively complete loss of ownership though theft. | Products that incorporate poor security measures can be exploited by unauthorized actors. Depending on the extent of access gained by circumventing security measures, consequences of this may range from misuse of product functions to effectively complete loss of ownership though theft. | ||
A prominent example of this is | A prominent example of this is car entry systems, many of which did not use rolling code key systems and can be abused by devices like the Flipper Zero and other commonly available tools for security research. | ||
=== Product-as-a-Service === | ===Product-as-a-Service=== | ||
Situations where a category of products is unavailable for purchase, with their functions only available as a service, despite the product's nature not necessitating it. Manufacturer of a product-as-a-service actively provides the product in this arrangement and may choose to stop doing so unilaterally at any time. | Situations where a category of products is unavailable for purchase, with their functions only available as a service, despite the product's nature not necessitating it. Manufacturer of a product-as-a-service actively provides the product in this arrangement and may choose to stop doing so unilaterally at any time. | ||