Latest / Modularity Podcast / You Will Own Nothing and Like It | Consumer Rights in the Digital Age | History of the Internet Episode 13

Transcript

You Will Own Nothing and Like It | Consumer Rights in the Digital Age | History of the Internet Episode 13 · Modularity Podcast

• 0:00
  You will own nothing, and be happy.
• 0:05
  That's the cliff notes on Ubisoft's recent comments.
• 0:08
  Apparently, they think we need to "get comfortable" with not owning
• 0:13
  things-specifically video games in this instance.Yeah, that one...
• 0:18
  it honestly didn't sit right with me.
• 0:20
  My Steam library is huge, but being told I should accept not having ownership?
• 0:25
  That feels...
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  borderline dystopian.Exactly!
• 0:28
  And it's not just games-think about software.
• 0:31
  Adobe Creative Cloud?
• 0:33
  It's like, you're tied into this never-ending subscription cycle.
• 0:41
  You're not owning the tools; you're kind of leasing your creativity.Right.
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  You're dependent on that monthly payment to access tools you've spent years
• 0:51
  mastering.
• 0:52
  And, on top of that, you're risking losing access to your own projects.
• 0:56
  I mean, if a company changes its pricing or...
• 0:58
  just pulls the plug?Yeah, or if you want to break up with Adobe, and use other
• 1:03
  software.
• 1:04
  Boom, gone.There's something about owning physical media-whether it's software,
• 1:09
  movies, games or even music.
• 1:12
  There's this sense of permanency.
• 1:14
  I have been collecting these things for years, and even now, decades later,
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  they're still mine to use.
• 1:21
  No company can take that away.Yeah, totally!
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  That physical ownership, it's not just about practicality but also peace of mind.
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  You've got it-you can literally hold it in your hands.
• 1:32
  But with digital-only, you're kind of at their mercy.
• 1:36
  And what guarantees do we have?None, really.
• 1:39
  Remember how some old music servers got shut down a few years back, and people
• 1:44
  lost everything they'd paid for?
• 1:45
  And that's not even rare anymore-it's becoming the norm.But the saddest bit is
• 1:49
  how we just roll with it.
• 1:50
  It's so convenient that no one stops to think, "Wait, do I actually own this?"
• 1:54
  And companies, they know we'll prioritize convenience over rights every time.I
• 1:59
  don't know if we even have a choice anymore.
• 2:01
  Again, look at Adobe.
• 2:03
  If you're a creative professional, it's practically impossible to switch to
• 2:08
  anything else without...
• 2:09
  re-learning everything.
• 2:11
  They've built this reliance system where, if you leave, you're kind of starting
• 2:17
  over.
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  That's, well, frustrating.It's like they've architected this kind of digital
• 2:21
  captivity.
• 2:22
  Sure, it looks shiny, but once you're in?
• 2:24
  Good luck breaking out.It's a tax on your creativity, and almost like you no longer
• 2:30
  even own your own work.So, slave-ware.That's an interesting way to
• 2:33
  put it.Let's pick up on that frustration for a moment-how companies not only make
• 2:37
  it hard to own what we buy, but sometimes even block us from fixing it when it
• 2:41
  breaks.
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  Doesn't that just sound like the next level of ridiculous?It does, but that's
• 2:46
  the reality for so many modern products.
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  I mean, think about cars.
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  You can't just take your car to any mechanic anymore; manufacturers restrict
• 2:57
  access to tools and parts.
• 2:58
  It's frustrating.In 2018 BMW locked heated seats behind a subscription
• 3:04
  service.
• 3:05
  $18 a month to keep your ass from freezing to your seat...
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  There are zero reasons to put a feature like this as a subscription, you already
• 3:13
  bought the car!So if those heated seats fail, not only would you continue to pay
• 3:18
  a subscription, you would have to bring it to a certified BMW shop, and pay a
• 3:23
  premium for your premium...Let's just go back to bicycles, this is getting out of
• 3:27
  hand...And it's not just cars-this is happening with phones, computers, even
• 3:31
  farm equipment.
• 3:32
  Like, you've got farmers out there who can't fix their own tractors because
• 3:38
  everything's locked behind proprietary software.
• 3:40
  It's insane.Yeah, it's as if the entire landscape has shifted.
• 3:44
  Back in the '60s or '70s, you could grab schematics with your purchase.
• 3:48
  Everything was repairable.
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  Now?
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  Companies act like repairing your own stuff could, I don't know, void the laws
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  of physics or something.And that's exactly what the Right to Repair is
• 4:02
  about, right?
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  Like, pushing back on this.
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  I was reading that organizations like iFixit have been advocating for the past
• 4:08
  decade, trying to get laws passed.And it's working...
• 4:12
  to a degree.
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  You've got laws active in 24 states now, and in five-New York, California,
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  Minnesota, Oregon, and Colorado-electronics repair legislation
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  has passed.
• 4:27
  It's a win, for sure, but it's still an uphill battle.Right?
• 4:31
  And even then, there are these loopholes.
• 4:34
  Companies find ways to say, "Oh, sure, you can repair your things...
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  but only with our parts, our tools, and, oh yeah, they're ridiculously expensive."
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  So, are we really winning?Not entirely.
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  But the movement itself is gaining awareness, and I think that's key.
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  Americans-about one in five-are now directly impacted by these laws, which is
• 4:55
  a big deal.
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  It's proof that, culturally at least, people value the idea of owning and
• 5:01
  fixing their stuff.And it's such a no-brainer!
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  I mean, if you bought something, you should be able to maintain it, tinker
• 5:08
  with it, whatever.This idea that a product is more like a lease-it's absurd.
• 5:15
  Honestly, it feels like a power grab.It is.
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  Plus, it forces more waste.
• 5:19
  When repair isn't an option, people just trash an entire device over...
• 5:23
  I don't know, a dead capacitor or something equally fixable.
• 5:27
  That's bad for the environment and consumers.Exactly!
• 5:30
  But this corporate resistance?
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  It's embedded.
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  Like, I heard that some companies even block third-party repair shops from
• 5:39
  accessing basic parts.
• 5:41
  It's literally cheaper to buy a new item-not because it has to be but because
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  they've made it that way.And they fight back hard.
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  We've seen companies throw so much money into lobbying efforts to stop
• 5:53
  right-to-repair legislation.
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  They frame it as protecting "trade secrets," but most times?
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  It's just about control.It's about keeping you dependent.
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  Dependent on their repair services, their parts, their everything.
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  And they'll couch it in convenience, like, "Why worry about repair?
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  Just get a new one." Slowly, they've conditioned us to think this is
• 6:15
  normal.It's not, though.
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  That's why I'm encouraged by movements like this.
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  They're a reminder that, hey, we don't have to roll with these rules.
• 6:23
  If we keep the momentum going, we might see a real shift eventually.Yeah.
• 6:28
  Still, until then, it's up to us-consumers-to push back where we can.
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  Stick with brands that promote repairability, vote with your wallet,
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  and, honestly, just speak up about it.Alright, speaking of control, let's
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  unpack this idea of "slave ware" as someone put it.
• 6:48
  It's such a bold term, but honestly, it hits the nail on the head.These endless
• 6:54
  subscriptions, locking tools behind paywalls-it feels like users are being
• 7:01
  shackled to their software, just like how repairability is restricted.
• 7:05
  You're basically paying rent on your creativity.Exactly.
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  And the worst part?
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  It's not just the financial commitment.
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  When your access depends entirely on paying that subscription fee, you lose
• 7:16
  control.It puts a metaphorical lock on your work-the years you've spent
• 7:21
  creating, building.
• 7:23
  That's, well, terrifying.Yeah, it's like a trap.
• 7:26
  You invest all this time mastering a tool-looking you you agian, Adobe, and
• 7:31
  then, even if you wanna move to something else?
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  You can't.
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  Your projects are stuck.
• 7:35
  You're stuck.
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  It's like they've designed the system to hold you hostage.That's exactly it.
• 7:40
  They've created dependence.
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  Compare that to tools you pay for once-Affinity, for instance.
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  You buy it, you own it, you use it for as long as you need.
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  No strings attached, no looming deadlines to keep using your files.
• 7:56
  It's a completely different mindset.Right?
• 7:59
  And beyond that, there's open-source software.
• 8:01
  There's such a beauty in those alternatives-tools built by and for
• 8:06
  communities, with actual freedom at their core.
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  Tools like GIMP or Inkscape.
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  You're not paying a cent, and better yet, you're not tied to terms that can change
• 8:16
  overnight.Yeah, open source really demonstrates what's possible when profit
• 8:20
  isn't the sole motivator.But it does rely on communities pitching in, whether
• 8:24
  through development or financial support.
• 8:26
  I think, increasingly, people are starting to realize the value in that
• 8:31
  kind of ecosystem.Exactly!
• 8:33
  And here's the thing: there's power in how we respond.
• 8:37
  Like, supporting alternatives-whether it's open source or subscription-free
• 8:45
  software-that's a step in the right direction.
• 8:48
  But advocacy matters too.Absolutely.
• 8:51
  Pushing for initiatives like Right to Repair fits into this broader picture
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  too, doesn't it?
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  It's all about reclaiming autonomy-over our devices, our work, and even our
• 9:01
  choices.
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  It's about opting for sustainable, user-centric practices.It is, yeah, and
• 9:07
  we're seeing that shift more broadly.
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  People are kind of waking up and asking, "Why am I okay with this?" I think what
• 9:17
  we really need next is for brands and developers to take notice.
• 9:23
  To start giving us options again-not just for repair, but for how we pay, how we
• 9:31
  access our tools, everything.And it's worth emphasizing that alternatives
• 9:35
  aren't just hypothetical.
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  They already exist.
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  If more people start seeking those out, it's eventually gonna create market
• 9:42
  pressure.
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  But, you know, we have to start somewhere.Totally.
• 9:46
  Whether it's moving to a tool like Affinity, supporting open-source tools,
• 9:52
  or just raising awareness, every little action adds up.
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  The more momentum we build, the harder it'll be for companies to ignore.So, with
• 10:05
  all this momentum building-from people backing alternatives like open-source
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  tools to advocacy for the Right to Repair-how do we take it even further?
• 10:19
  It feels like consumers are finally pushing back, reclaiming some autonomy in
• 10:23
  this crazy consumer landscape.It really is.
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  And it's wild to think about how much has shifted.
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  I mean, we're looking at a landscape where convenience often overrides our
• 10:34
  rights to, you know, actually own what we buy.
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  But it doesn't have to stay this way.Exactly.
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  If there's one takeaway from all of this, it's that we've got to be proactive.
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  Whether it's supporting Right to Repair, looking out for subscription-free tools,
• 10:51
  or simply speaking up about the importance of consumer rights, every
• 10:56
  small choice matters.Totally.
• 10:59
  And I think it's also about awareness, isn't it?
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  Just opening people's eyes to how much control we've handed over and what we're
• 11:07
  losing in the process.
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  Once you see it, you can start making changes-whether that's buying physical
• 11:14
  media, opting for repairable products, or even exploring open-source
• 11:20
  alternatives.Right.
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  And honestly, technology should empower us, not make us dependent or, worse, kind
• 11:29
  of...
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  stuck.
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  I mean, we've all felt it, that moment of realizing how limited we are because of
• 11:35
  some subscription or a lack of ownership over our work.
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  But that doesn't have to define the future.Exactly.
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  It's about reclaiming that control, making deliberate choices that prioritize
• 11:47
  ownership and sustainability.
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  And while it might feel overwhelming, change always starts small-one purchase,
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  one choice, one conversation.Couldn't have said it better myself.
• 11:58
  So, if you're out there wondering how to get a handle on your digital world-and
• 12:03
  your business's digital presence-why not start now?
• 12:07
  Head over to modularity.us and get a quote today.
• 12:11
  Let's make sure your digital experience not only works for you, but also keeps
• 12:14
  you in control.And that's it for today, folks.
• 12:17
  Thanks for joining us on this deep dive into consumer rights in the digital age.
• 12:21
  It's been great talking, and we'll catch you next time!