YouTuber's Tour Ignites 'Own Your Shit' Movement

A nationwide tour led by YouTuber Louis Rossmann is amplifying a growing consumer movement demanding control over their devices. The 'Own Your Shit' tour, organized by Rossmann's nonprofit Fulu, targets legislation like Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which restricts bypassing digital locks. Rossmann argues this law enables companies to control hardware and charge for access.

The tour highlights widespread frustration with corporate practices such as removing purchased digital content, discontinuing support for older devices, and implementing subscription models. Advocates like Katharine Trendacosta of the Electronic Frontier Foundation emphasize that these practices benefit companies through subscriptions and data collection at consumers' expense.

This movement coincides with legislative progress in right-to-repair efforts globally. The European Union recently enacted regulations to extend product lifespans with more repairable designs and easily replaceable batteries. In the US, John Deere faced legal and regulatory action for its repair policies, and repair advocates are pushing for federal regulations to ensure better product longevity and repairability.

Former CFPB director Rohit Chopra, now heading California's Business and Consumer Services Agency, attended an event and voiced support for ensuring new technologies benefit all consumers, not just corporations. He aims to crack down on unfair practices and promote technology that genuinely aids everyone.