Paul Roberts: “Brazil” Today — The Right to Repair vs. Tech Dystopia
A DEF CON 30 talk about the Right to Repair movement and the fight for users’ ability to repair their own devices. The speaker draws a parallel with Terry Gilliam’s film Brazil (1985), where a bureaucratic system monopolizes and controls the repair of technology.
The talk examines how device manufacturers use DRM, constant internet connectivity, and legal restrictions to maintain control over servicing equipment — from consumer electronics to agricultural and medical devices. A panel of experts discusses industry claims about “security risks” and explains how the right-to-repair movement could create a more secure, sustainable, and independent technological ecosystem.
The talk examines how device manufacturers use DRM, constant internet connectivity, and legal restrictions to maintain control over servicing equipment — from consumer electronics to agricultural and medical devices. A panel of experts discusses industry claims about “security risks” and explains how the right-to-repair movement could create a more secure, sustainable, and independent technological ecosystem.