Alva Review-Courier -

“Do not remove. No user serviceable parts.”

Have you seen this label? It’s found on many consumer electronics and other products. Do we have the right to repair or has that been usurped by big business?

Recent legislation proposed in Nebraska was the target of lobbyists for the John Deere Corporation. For many years electronics manufacturers and suppliers to industry have kept parts and troubleshooting technology captive. Their rationale: to prevent intellectual property theft, safety and price control.

The so-called Nebraska “right-to-repair” law would have upended the near monopoly held by J...