The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reminding several computer companies that labels that say “warranty voided if removed” are illegal, as is language that discourages consumers from repairing their own devices. The commission warned ASRock, Gigabyte and Zotech to get rid of them and remove language that threatened to void warranties if users broke the seal, it wrote in a statement. Press release Seen by The edge.
“Letters were sent to three other companies warning them against using stickers containing the legend 'warranty void if removed' or similar language, which are placed in locations on products that hinder consumers' ability to perform routine maintenance and repairs on their products,” the FTC wrote. “These letters were sent to ASRock, Zotac, and Gigabyte, companies that market and sell gaming PCs, graphics chips, motherboards, and other accessories.”
It wasn't just the stickers that were at issue, but also the wording of the warranties that stated that warranties would be voided if the seals were broken. The practices “may be impeding consumers' right to have the products they have purchased repaired,” the statement said. Commission staff will review the companies' websites after 30 days, and if the violations are not corrected, enforcement action may be taken.
Right-to-repair laws have spread across every state in the U.S., but the FTC is actually referencing rules that date back decades. Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975, companies cannot place restrictions on repairs unless they provide the parts or services for free or receive a waiver from the FTC.
This isn't a new situation, as we wrote about a similar FTC warning back in 2018. At the time, the watchdog sent warnings to six companies: Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, ASUS, HTC, and Hyundai. However, these stickers and policies aren't necessarily illegal in other countries, as iFixit points out. wrote last year.
