The Restart Project Podcast

For March’s show we take a look at perhaps the most unavoidable topic in our world today, coronavirus (COVID-19). We took this as an opportunity though, to discuss the issue in light of a topic that is relevant all the time, the supply chains that are integral to the electronics industry and how sustainable they really are. Janet was joined by long-time Restart volunteer, Panda Mery, to delve deeper into the unseen complexities of tech supply chains and what we may not realise is going into the production of our devices. Good and bad news for repairability Before diving into this massive topic, we had a couple smaller, but still important stories to discuss. We returned to tech-giant Apple and $500 million settlement in the US following a class-action lawsuit over ‘Batterygate’ and the purposeful slowing down of iPhones. Is this such a minuscule fine in the grand scheme of things that it is almost ineffectual? And how ethical is this practice that Apple employed? Then some good news from our friends at iFixit about electronic repairability standards – a major victory for the Right to Repair movement. And finally, some questionable tactics in the UK government’s approach towards e-waste collection, which indicate divergence from ambitious EU targets. What the Virus means for tech supply chains – and the world Approaching our main topic of the day – the Virus – we want to take caution and recognise that focusing on the issue in a tech-centric way does stand to erase some of the bigger issues at stake, those of how this will impact citizen autonomy and increase the control that governments have over us and our bodies. In terms of tech, we discuss how international and complex supply chains have become and the way that a pandemic of this kind is already having sufficient impact on the global economy and tech industry as a whole. This proves the advantages of making electrical components more reusable to leave us less beholden to these supply chains. We also look at how the environment has been impacted by a sudden decrease in production and travel. Overshadowed issues Finally, we close with two shocking stories that have managed to be all but buried by other news this month. We discuss an investigation into forced labour of Uighurs in China in factories that produce components that are almost certainly in your devices. We think about what action consumers can take, and how far we can actually help to solve these issues. Then a look at a White House cover up of information on the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE), and how Brexit may impact access to technical information on risks associated with chemical usage in industry, that bears great influence over public health. Although there is certainly much more to say about supply chains, with all of these topics we aim to encourage you to educate yourself on all of the steps it takes for a device to be in your hands and how you can support those involved along the way, and our planet as a whole. Links:  * Right to Repair smartphones petition * U.S. PIRG: $500M settlement for Apple’s “BatteryGate” underscores need for Right to Repair * iFixit: Fixers Know What ‘Repairable’ Means—Now There’s a Standard for It * Let’s Recycle: Defra slashes WEEE collection targets * Wired: The Right to Repair Will Help Us Endure Outbreaks * Australian Strategic Policy Institute report “

In early February, the European Right to Repair Campaign launched a petition demanding the addition of smartphones to future EU legislation on device repairability. Restart is a part of this campaign. What we are asking for sounds simple: good design of our devices, fair access to repair manuals and spare parts, and information on our products and how to repair them. However, manufacturers have blocked this at every turn. Smartphones have quickly become the most used electronic devices in our lives and we need the means to prolong their lives and reduce e-waste. A look back In this, our 50th episode, we look back to previous episodes of the podcast to piece together why it is so important that we fight for the right to repair our phones. From designers, to geographers, to repairers, to engineers, to our own team… we hear how people have struggled with repairing their own phones and how they believe consumer and manufacturer attitudes towards our devices must change. Following the lifecycle of a smartphone, we start at the design process. We touch upon how to design more ethically and sustainably, and the debate regarding the trade-off between aesthetics and functionality. We hear about the restrictions that manufacturers put in place, both explicitly in their terms of use and implicitly: roadblocks that Right to Repair are specifically fighting against. From hardware to software, we discuss premature obsolescence and how far the responsibility falls on phone manufacturers to help us keep our phones updated and secure. And finally, while their small size may be deceiving, we also talk to experts about how disposing of your smartphone leads to a lot more waste than just in the materials – which in themselves are often rare and unsalvageable. We learn about the massive carbon footprint of mobiles outside of their in-use stage and how repairing our devices would limit this. Time for a change Ultimately, we hope this episode will make you think, and remind you how little our discussion on smartphones has evolved over the years. Some of the issues that we discussed five years ago are still crucial in the world of mobile manufacture and they need to finally be addressed. So sign the petition and fight for the right to repair your smartphone! Links: * Right to Repair smartphones petition * Ep. 28: Disruptive design and unlocking wonderment with Leyla Acaroglu * Ep. 2: Interview with a product designer * Restart Radio: Have we taken ‘thin’ too far? * Ep. 36: Fixing the impossible with Rico Cerva * Ep. 8: Tools, new and old * Ep. 11: A Mobile Screen Repair Odyssey * Ep. 31: Software obsolescence with Ross Anderson * Ep. 35: Exploring the critical materials in our electronics * Ep. 4: Climate change and the ‘shadow impacts’ of our gadgets

On ‘Safer Internet Day’, Janet and Ugo are joined in the studio by Restarter Ben Skidmore to discuss the developing Sonos scandal, planned device obsolescence, and the new UK legislation to increase the security of connected devices. But first: last week, we launched our petition adding smartphones to the Right to Repair campaign. We are calling on the European Commission to introduce legislation requiring smartphone manufacturers to support consumers in repairing their devices. (Link below.) One step forward, two steps back with Apple No surprise that our first topic of discussion revolved around frequent subject of the show, Apple. Last week, the French watchdog group DGCCRF fined Apple €25 million (around £21m) for intentionally slowing down iPhones with iOS updates and not warning phone owners. We discuss whether this a step forward or more of a reactive and temporary fix for the bigger issue of the lack of regulation of software and its interplay with hardware. We also briefly discussed the concerning new information that has come to light regarding Apple’s IRP (Independent Repair Program) that was announced last summer. VICE’s Motherboard released details of the document that Apple is requiring repair businesses to sign in order to participate in the program. It exposes the lack of freedom the program actually presents for independent repairers and if this was simply a performative move by Apple pre-empting the Right to Repair agenda. The Sonos scandal and obsolescence of connected hardware Our main topic revolved around Sonos coming under fire for their announcement that ‘legacy’ products would no longer receive support in terms of software or security updates. Not only did this render these devices almost obsolete, this change would also affect newer devices that are connected to them on the same network. Though Sonos offered a few fixes to this new policy, what kind of precedent does this set for the disposal of devices where the hardware is still physically ok? But also, this public outcry did bolster our belief in the future our agenda of longer-lasting technology. Securing our smart technology Finally, our discussion of the new UK legislation on the security of "Internet of Things" reminds Janet of a parenting horror story that immediately prompted her friend to get rid of her hacked Nest device. While this reaction was understandable, again this disposal of devices that are well within the usable period of their lifespan is exactly what we are trying to avoid. With the panic that these security risks can cause, how can we build trust in our smart devices and make them safer, especially when they are increasingly being introduced into personal and private spaces? Is the UK government serious about this, and what will it take to move from a policy pronouncement to enforcement?

Two tinker-travelling retirees from Melbourne, Australia fill our podcast with positive energy and joy this month. Dave talks to Karen and Danny, who spend their weekends travelling and helping new community repair groups get started in their homestate of Victoria. Danny is a talented repairer of all things mechanical and electrical and Karen is an accomplished mender. They have been tinkering, mending and fixing all of their lives. Both collaborate to troubleshoot and fix sewing machines. Their story starts with frustration with their local authority, that repeatedly stymied their efforts to organise local repair events in their deprived area of western Melbourne. Making a positive out of a negative, over two years ago Karen and Danny decided to hit the road and spread the joy of community repair. They travel up to 500 kilometres round-trip, packing a lunch, and always returning home at the end of the weekend. Both began tinkering and repairing as children, and taking advantage of ample freedom to explore. Danny sought out a very hands-on technical education, which he laments does not really exist anymore. We talk with them about Australian motivations for repairing, and we ask whether the environment and climate change might motivate people. Karen and Danny share their frustrations with disjointed and insufficient efforts of political leaders to prevent waste and help people live more sustainably. They also have no love for the companies selling so many poor quality products. Both insist that upstream change is needed to help people keep products for longer and make repair possible. They also believe that more government support is needed to support community repair and reuse efforts at the grassroots. As citizens, they both participate where possible in consultations and opportunities to improve policy, but they say it's still really early days for the Right to Repair movement in Australia. Same with organisation of the community repair movement itself, which is still fairly "siloed". Whatever emerges in future, we're certain that Karen and Danny will remain strong, authentic ambassadors for repair, inspiring more and more Australians to get involved.

We interview Norwegian professional repairer Henrik Huseby about his court battle against Apple, which will reach Norway's Supreme Court next year. In 2017, Norwegian customs officials seized 63 imported, refurbished mobile screens destined for Huseby, who runs a very small repair shop in a town just outside of Oslo. Apple alleged the screens were "counterfeit". Apple demanded Huseby sign an unfair letter, admitting to wrong-doing. He refused. He won in his first court appearance, but Apple then won in a court of appeals. Huseby was not deterred and took the extraordinary step of appealing to the Supreme Court, which has agreed to hear his case in 2020. We talk to Huseby about his small town, his work and how he got into it, and why he decided to stand up against a trillion dollar company. His case has everything to do with defending a "right to repair", as Apple is strictly controlling access to spare parts, and this has consequences small repair businesses globally as well as DIYers. As Huseby points out, Apple is using obscure copyright claims as its "weapon" in this attempt to cut off supply of spare parts. Understandably, Huseby is crowdfunding to cover his legal costs. If he wins and Apple is forced to pay his costs, he has committed to donating all funds to the new European Right to Repair campaign. Thanks to Restarters Oslo and Maja van der Velden who've helped us follow this case over the past year.

This month we chat with author Adam Minter on his newest book "Secondhand: Travels In The New Global Garage Sale". We've followed Minter's coverage of resource flows and waste for a couple of years now, and we were excited to read this book. Minter starts his book with a visit to "decluttering" in Japan and in the US, and we ask about this, and what the lifecycles of our stuff have to do with our own mortality. We talk about the global economies of resale goods, and ask him about a trip to the US-Mexico border as well as to visit repair and refurbishing businesses in Ghana. While these economies often go under-counted by governments and policymakers, they are thriving and very dynamic. Minter brings them to life with his storytelling and the vivid characters he meets. Even after exploring the decline of some secondhand economies, and the challenges small businesses face, we're cheered to hear that Minter is quite optimistic about the future. He believes that more durable and repairable goods are an inevitability and he also believes that emerging economies will come around to more eco-friendly consumption far faster than we have in Europe and North America. Minter was kind enough to record a special excerpt from the book of special interest to our audience.

Our Restart Parties — community repair events — are amazing citizen laboratories to examine the downstream impacts of our throw-away economy. Events generate rich repair data which can have impacts beyond the immediate fixes. Over the years with volunteers and members of the public, we've seen and recorded thousands of repair attempts of a vast array of consumer products. In this episode, Dave interviews Monique Szpak, Community Coordinator for Data for The Restart Project. She takes us on a tour of the data collected at community repair events across the world by The Open Repair Alliance. Through an open data standard, Monique has helped to unify and compare the Alliance's nearly 30,000 repair attempts. She shares some of the most poetic and amusing entries in the database. Monique waxes philosophical with Dave about the meaning and ultimately the significance of this data. She also outlines some of the work ahead with data. It turns out it's not easy to collect and work with "messy" data coming from adhoc community events, and Monique hints that the work is only just really starting. In the near future, the Restart Project and partner organisations would like to use this data to influence regulation. Currently only manufacturer data contributes to policy processes. 

Television has changed so much during the past couple of decades, from the way signals reach our living rooms, to the way television hardware and software is designed. Correspondingly, our viewing habits have changed too. Behind the scenes, there are teams of engineers working throughout the "ecosystem". We often see our products as stand-alone physical objects, but these days they are embedded in ever-complex networks and software systems. Behind the screens We talk two television standards engineers, Ben Skidmore with Freeview (part of Digital UK) and Ian Medland, Director of Testing with DTG (The Digital Television Group). They peel away some of the technical layers that might be 'invisible' to the average viewer of television. Skidmore explains how standards developed from radio through digital television, towards internet connectivity. Most of what we take for granted in the UK when we turn on a television is actually specified by detailed product standards.  So many different actors are involved in the development and maintenance of these standards Longevity and support for older models Skidmore and Medland talk about how standards, and careful planning and coordination can prevent obsolescence of television sets. Skidmore explains how the digital switchover was managed so that millions of sets were not turned into waste overnight. However, the lifespan of televisions did drop with the advent of digital television. But that trend is reversing. And as televisions are quite energy efficient in the use phase at this point, but still have a large footprint in manufacture, we're encouraged to hear that longevity and support are increasingly seen as priorities by those creating standards. A visit to "the zoo" DTG tests every television that goes on the UK market to ensure they meet these standards. They have a "representative receiver collection" more affectionately known as "the zoo" in their London offices. Medland takes on a tour of the zoo and learn that they keep about 350 models as far as four years back. The collection is fairly irreplaceable and the zoo is very protected space. To close the episode, Dave and Ben share their love of television growing up and reflect on how viewing has changed and how television content now caters to so many more tastes. And Ben shares how his love of fixing (he's a volunteer with Restart) enters into his work.

Earlier this year, we travelled to Turin to take part in Fixfest Italia - the first national community repair gathering in Italy. In the lead-up to Fixfest 2019 in Berlin, as an unusual treat, we are now sharing our first ever Restart Radio episode in Italian! It features interviews recorded in Turin during the event, capturing participants and organisers' excitement, and the energy at the event. Fixfest Italia took place within the Turin Mini Maker Faire, and included sessions on a range of topics, including campaigning for the Right to repair, teaching repair in schools, increasing collaboration in between local initiatives, and sharing best practices on insurance and outreach to potential volunteers. We enjoyed attending the event and meeting Restarters from 9 groups. And at the end of the event, our hosts Restarters Torino, threw a wonderful Restart Party, showcasing their diverse community of repair enthusiasts, local repair professionals and students joyfully repairing together. If you are an Italian speaker, or you'd like to practice your Italian, go ahead and listen to this episode. If you need any help,  you can also find the whole audio transcript at: https://therestartproject.org/podcast/fixfest-italia If you don't speak Italian - don't despair, our regular podcast in English will be back later this month! Many thanks to Restarter and audio engineer Stefania Fantini, who interviewed participants and edited the podcast. And thanks to Sergio Almerares from Restarters Milano for the full transcript in Italian.

"I wanted broadband", says Chris Conder, co-founder of the Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN). We learn from the bold initiative of a community in Lancashire who simply wanted access to the Internet and decided to start their own community-run broadband infrastructure. Throughout our interview with Conder, we also hear from B4RN volunteers, staff and participants at their "Computer Clubs", where people get technical help with their broadband. Internet access in rural areas Broadband doesn't reach everywhere, because it is not profitable enough for big operators, and the British government does not pressure for greater reach. Conder stresses that fibre broadband does not go directly to every home, but rather depends on the phone line and, if you live far away from the cabinets, you will hardly get connection. And you will pay the standard price. This in an issue across many rural areas in the UK. But neighbours in Melling, rural Lancashire, desperately wanted quality broadband for their community. So they teamed up with Barry Forde, former Head of Technical Services at Lancaster University. He was determined to get a fibre feed into each village in the area and start the infrastructure that became B4RN. The role of B4RN After trying various other projects and collaborations with the local university, they found that they needed to take ownership and run the project themselves. B4RN has changed the scenario by running a fibre to every single home, now over 5000 properties across more than 50 parishes. Thanks to "total madness", in Conder's words, and to a lot of determination. They have just exceeded a crowdfunding target to expand further. The initiative is run by staff and volunteers, but also each home gets actively involved, sometimes digging their own gardens themselves to set up the fibre! Connecting the community Beyond connecting to the Internet, people have connected with each other thanks to B4RN. Conder describes how neighbours have gotten to know each other through the project, helping each other setting up the system, digging gardens or solving technical questions. B4RN is also a "community benefit society" employing over 30 staff and hundreds of volunteers in the area, increasing the opportunities for locals, and especially the younger ones, to live and work in their villages. While broadband for this area was not seen as profitable, it has other difficult-to-quantify value, like contributing to community cohesion, education and disaster preparedness. B4RN sets a standard for resilient, community-based use of technology and the internet, and serves as an inspiration.

With Restarters Ben Skidmore and Dave Lukes, Ugo discusses some tech news and then dives into the world of repurposing computers - how can we give them a second life? From charges against Samsung to the 'ebook apocalypse' In France, a court has charged Samsung Electronics with misleading claims regarding labour rights violations, including the exposure to chemicals or breaking up labour unions at its Asian factories. We discuss the importance of this case and how these charges will probably unfold further, and look at other manufacturers too. Regardless of the final outcome of the case, we hope to see more publicity around it across Europe. We also talk about the Microsoft 'ebook apocalypse', as the company is removing all purchased ebooks from user's libraries. We reflect on our ownership of online products, which manage our right to access rather than own these items. Sticking to Microsoft, we note that CERN, the physics research centre in Switzerland, has decided to move to open source due to Microsoft removing their status of 'academic institution', which resulted in higher fees. The second lives of computers Inspired by a thread on our online forum, we talk about repurposing old computers, including 'obsolete' ones. We talk about the importance of open source software, often underestimated. For instance, when devices are not well supported by mainstream operating systems, or even become fully unsupported, open source alternatives can extend the lives of our devices. We can also give new uses to them, like repurposing them as miniservers for backing up media files or even... for playing retro computer games, like Ben! Despite seemingly technical hacks, we discuss the availability of guides and feedback online. We also talk about the option of reusing components when our computers fail (normally it is only one component that fails!). Keyboards, mouses, or even display, can all easily have a second life. Finally, we discuss the dilemma around energy efficiency when using old devices, in context with the embodied energy involved in the manufacturing of products.

*Last call to complete our radio survey. Closing soon on the 3rd of July!* Ravi Agarwal is a multifaceted artist and activist based in New Delhi. We hear Ravi's reflections on his life between disciplines, and we learn about the work of his NGO, Toxics Link. We talk about the toxicity of e-waste and the threats it poses to people working in recycling sites. Ravi's activism and Toxics Link Ravi tells us about the start of his activism when as an avid birdwatcher, he helped lead a campaign to protect the Delhi forest. Moved by his capacity to work for change, he then got interested in waste issues and eventually founded Toxics Link. Toxics Link was a pioneer organisation researching electronic waste in India, as well as influencing the first national e-waste legislation in India. They also focus on all other kinds of waste streams, from plastics to municipal waste or biomedical waste. Electronic waste and human health Ravi walks us through toxic materials in e-waste. There are almost 50 of them in various ranges of toxicity. From heavy metals like lead or mercury to flame retardants. (The latter are chemicals present in plastics which protect cases from fire, however they can cause cancer when released from the case). So when electronics are not recycled properly, these toxic components can become very threatening to human health and the environment, and particularly to workers in recycling sites in India. Ravi tells us about the associated long-term health effects that result from the exposure to these toxic materials, which can also be passed on to their children, for instance through breastfeeding. Merging art and activism We hear about Ravi's solo show 'Ecologies of Loss' where he examines how people relate to their environment. We talk about the reception of Ravi's work, both in India and worldwide, and we reflect on his way of balancing his art and activism. Ravi describes himself as an artist, photographer, environmental campaigner, writer and curator. While seemingly complex, he says that all these processes inform each other - in his own words, "we all inhabit the world in many forms at the same time".

*Radio survey* We would really appreciate your thoughts on Restart Radio. Please take our short survey! We talk about the climate crisis and the concept of deep adaptation - the idea that we will need to radically change our lives in the face of global changes. From worker rights to Norway's right to repair First, we discuss some news. Female workers at South Korean semiconductor plants are at much higher risks of leukemia and other cancers than their male counterparts. This research examined 201,057 current and former workers at six semiconductor companies, including Samsung Electronics. We also comment on the story of a Samsung LCD worker who has finally received "work accident" recognition 15 years after developing a brain tumour. On more positive news, we discuss plans from France to ban unsold electronics and clothes from being destroyed, as part of a new circular economy law. While we welcome this initiative we do wonder: what will happen to these products when destruction is banned? Lastly, we talk about latest right to repair news from Norway, where professional repairer Henrik Huseby met Apple in court for a second time, after Apple appealed losing in its lawsuit last year. Like Huseby, many repairers face barriers to get spare parts and have to use refurbished screens which Apple absurdly claim are 'counterfeit'. The climate zeitgeist A climate emergency has been all over the news in the UK recently. From Sir David Attenborough taking a big stand on the climate, to Greta Thunberg’s visit to Parliament, to Extinction Rebellion’s protests. Different target dates have been set for net zero emissions, by different groups in the UK. (Since we recorded this episode, the UK became the first country to set a netzero target by law.) We explore this current climate crisis and then talk about the concept of deep adaptation - the idea that we will need to radically change our lives in the face of global changes. What will our life, and that of future generations, look like in 10 years? Then, we play a clip from Restart Party goers sharing their views on the latest climate science. These include a fear that we will not have the resources to maintain our way of living, and suggest that we will need to extend the lifespan of the products and materials that we buy. They also point to the sometimes confusing balance between where responsibility should lie: is it about focusing on the micro-actions or about pushing governments for high-level change? Inspired by Mary Heglar's essay on sustainability and personal action, we talk about the power in magnifying our individual acts, and escalating our everyday frustrations to seek change. And while we must work urgently to avoid run-away climate change, we conclude that we also need to start envisioning what a radically changed world will look like, and what we will lose. (We ran out of time and didn't do the topic of "Deep Adaptation" justice at all. But we've added some more links below that go into greater depth on the topic.) Links: Restart: Radio survey Restart: Taking care of resources in fair, net-zero economy Hankyoreh: Female workers at semiconductor plants face greater risk of leukemia and death Hankyoreh: Samsung LCD worker receives industrial accident recognition 15 years after developing brain tumor The Telegraph: France ban unsold clothes electronics destroyed world first VICE: Apple is still trying to sue the owner of an independent repair shop Louis Rossmann: Witness in Norway trial Vox: Mary Heglar on the environmental movement and personal action Jem Bendell's website, focusing on "Deep Adaptation" Restart: How to Restart the World with Lewis Dartnell [Featured imaged from Extinction Rebellion]

In this episode, we travel to the northwest of England to meet Dave and Anne Carlos, co-founders of the West Fleetwood Computer Clinic. Set up by the Emmanuel Church, this Computer Clinic wants to serve the community by lowering people's barriers to technology, while making devices last for longer. We interview Dave Carlos, and we hear from various organisers, fixers and attendees of one of these 'clinics', which take place at the Rossall Tavern, the local pub. Lowering barriers to using technology At the West Fleetwood Computer Clinic, anyone can get help with technology. A team of 'geeks', as they proudly call themselves, will have a look at your device, and help you maintain it, repair it... or simply use it better! The area of Fleetwood used to be a prosperous fishing town, but it has been deeply affected economically. Most people can't spend much on technology, and hence they can find it hard to repair their products. Even getting help with software, or getting simple tips to use your devices, can be hard. In this context, the Computer Clinic has created a space for digital inclusion, where money, and knowledge, are no longer such high barriers to own technology. Like at our Restart Parties, there is no cost for attending the clinics. Also, even though the Computer Clinic is set up by the Emmanuel Church, any one - participant or organiser - can be part of the events, whatever their faith. Part of a wider movement We got in touch with the West Fleetwood Computer Clinic when they signed the Manchester Declaration. As Dave Carlos told us, they joined the declaration for a clear reason: "anybody who's ever worked on a laptop knows that it is not meant to be repaired [...]. The Manchester Declaration is not only talking about the fact that we need more repairable kit. But that manufacturers have a responsibility to make it repairable." Rob Ginny, Pastor from the Emmanuel Church, also reminds us that the Church as an institution generally needs to catch up with environmental matters. With this mindset, supporting a movement where people reuse instead of throwing away, seems like the right direction. People come to the repair movement with many different backgrounds and perspectives. The West Fleetwood Computer Clinic is putting humans at the centre, thinking further than their own community. They are now recording repair data through the Fixometer, and they are part of the wider network of communities who are fixing to improve life for each other, and for the planet.

Janet, James and Restarter Ben Skidmore talk about the overlooked but fascinating world of product standards, and how they affect our right to repair devices. To learn more about standards, we hear from Chloe Fayole from ECOS, the European Environmental Citizens Organisation for Standardisation. Before diving into standards, we discuss some recent news. To start, we celebrate Fixfest Italia, the first national community repair gathering in Italy. James tells us about his time at the event, and how exciting it was to meet people in the Italian network. We also comment on the recent near-hysteria around plans of a Huawei 5G network rollout in the UK. Product standards: the power of industry During the show, we play our prerecorded interview with Chloe Fayole, who walks us through the world of standards at European level. Standards define guidelines for products or processes. They are not legislation per se, however, they are increasingly used as a tool to implement new legislation and policies. Therefore, Chloe warns, it is crucial to be aware of how industry-dominated standards are, and the need for more voices to be represented. People want more repairable products, and the product standards developed at European level can affect the repairability and lifetime of our devices. Chloe talks about the importance of creating standards both in a horizontal way (for all products), which could include ease of disassembly or the provision of spare parts for a minimum of years, but also product-specific, going into the detail and particularities of each device. Reclaiming the citizens' voice Product standards and our right to repair are closely linked. However, contributing to the discussion around product standards demands a lot of time and technical skills, and these conversations are heavily industry-dominated. So how can citizens be heard? People have a role in expressing themselves and their expectations of products, adding the consumer perspective to the conversation. As an example, Chloe talks about 'making obsolescence a scandal' and reporting it, but also about the importance of gathering data to know the barriers experienced by consumers when trying to repair what they own. We also stress the need to include professional repairers in the conversation, given their direct expertise with repairability and issues affecting product lifetimes.