The Right to Repair (R2R) Cards: Aligning Law and Design For A More Sustainable Consumer Internet of Things.

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Abstract
We present The Right to Repair (R2R) Cards, a novel design tool to support development of more sustainable consumer Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Current IoT systems are not built to last, with planned obsolescence and multiple routes to redundancy due to combined failures in hardware, software, and data management. This ultimately contributes to growing global eWaste. We consider the role of law in encouraging better IoT design practices. Our R2R cards consolidate analysis of 25 pieces of UK / EU legislation and standards, establishing 90 legal requirements around repair, cybersecurity, environmental design, consumer, and data rights. The R2R cards are a novel method for translating legal obligations for IoT system designers and wider stakeholders. We document the card development process, and insights from workshops with 37 participants, evaluating the utility of cards for critical reflection on legal obligations, and supporting transition to more sustainable IoT design.
Funding Information
  • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/W024780/1)

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