Ban Retroactive Subscription Locks on Products Consumers Already Own

Pass legislation making it illegal for manufacturers to remotely restrict or disable features on products consumers have already purchased. What HP did — pushing a firmware update to brick printers unless owners pay for branded ink — is not a business model. It's extortion. BMW tried charging a monthly fee for heated seats that were physically built into the car. These aren't edge cases; they're a pattern. The problem spans industries. Ring sells you a camera but holds your footage hostage for $4.99/month. Happiest Baby sells a bassinet that stops rocking your infant unless you keep paying $19.99/month. Tesla locks hardware already installed in your car behind a $99/month subscription. Consumers bought these products in good faith. Corporations are now rewriting the terms after the sale. The law needs to do three things: require full disclosure of any subscription dependency before purchase, prohibit retroactive firmware or software changes that degrade already-purchased functionality, and protect the right to repair and use third-party components. The Right to Repair movement has laid out a clear framework. The political will just needs to catch up. Make this happen.