How Tech Giants are Fighting Against Digital Sustainability
Every September, Apple announces the newest and most updated products that will soon be on the market. From the latest iPhone to the newest MacBook Pro, there is always hype about the upcoming technologies. Several tech companies such as Samsung, Apple, Microsoft, and Google come out with new products every year; sometimes, the differences in the products are negligible, but many people replace their tech products to ensure they are keeping up with the latest. So, what happens to the 1 to 2-year-old products that customers no longer want? According to Digital Responsibility.org, only 24.9% of electronics were recycled in 2011. This statistic indicates that old devices will most likely end up in the landfill, producing techno-trash and e-waste. Astra Taylor, the author of The People’s Platform, discusses this environmental waste impact and other environmental factors.
We are obsessed with the newest and coolest gadgets while we are shielded from tech culture’s ethical and environmental impact. We, as consumers, play a significant role in the high turnover of technological devices such as phones, tablets, and computers. However, big companies do not make it easy. On Page 182 of The People’s Platform, Taylor criticizes Steve Jobs for comparing Apple products to pieces of quality-built art when they are actually designed to become quickly replaceable. iPhones are engineered to be easy to break and quick to be outdated. When an iPhone breaks, it’s impossible to fix it yourself without voiding the warranty or possibly damaging the phone more. There are no Apple-produced guides on how to fix or update the hardware on your phone. Why would there be? By limiting access to the innards, Apple and many other companies who partake in this practice reap the benefits of consumers who decide to buy a new phone instead of paying the hefty price tag of having their broken phone fixed by a certified tech specialist.
This strategy is not only used by tech companies. John Deere has been under fire for their fight against John Deere owners to repair their own products; the company continues to fight the Right to Repair legislation, which would allow owners to fix their own equipment. This legislation threatens the sales of official John Deere dealers. According to Chicagobusiness.com, about 15% of 2018 company revenue was generated by parts sold to certified dealers who repair the John Deere products. By no surprise, Apple and several other tech giants are lobbying against the Right to Repair legislation. Apple has stated that they are against the Right to Repair due to the safety of their customers. John Deere claims that customers are purchasing a license to operate the product and not the John Deere product itself.
As Taylor put it, where do we draw the line as consumers? Consumers should have control over their purchased and owned products, and companies should allow consumers to fix their own devices. As big businesses flourish with sales, the environment will suffer as we constantly upgrade to new tech products and throw out the old or broken products.
References:
The People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age by Astra Taylor
http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/sad-facts-on-technotrash
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/manufacturing/why-deere-and-cat-dont-want-customers-do-it-themselves
