Thanks to a new leaked document, we’re getting information about how Samsung has taken on a controversial deal with repair shops that will certainly fix your device but in return, ask for sensitive user data.
Yes, Samsung is engaging in questionable acts where the personal information of users is given up and that can be manipulated by repair shops that could report them for making use of parts found in the aftermarket.
The news comes to us thanks to 404 Media who was the first to unveil the findings and a leaked document copy. It’s appalling to see the contract signed between Samsung and another service provider who works independently. It states that each repair has independent shops sending personal details to Samsung like the users’ name, number, address, and device’s serial number. This includes the complaint generated regarding their device and all inches of information about the sort of repair you’re seeking.
Four experts told me this clause means: If you own a repair shop and a customer has previously done a repair with an aftermarket part, you must refuse to work on it, “immediately disassemble” it and then snitch to Samsung about it pic.twitter.com/TrXxsVXlZN
— Jason Koebler (@jason_koebler) May 23, 2024
Furthermore, it informs repair shops to strip away aftermarket parts from the respective device despite it being legal for users to make use of it. So many firms have gotten into trouble for making such suggestions.
What could be worse is that the contract is not fake and the media house has received verification on the authenticity so it’s actually a real deal. But Samsung is yet to roll out responses to requests generated on this front.
And in case you might be wondering, we’re not only talking about repair shops working independently but the chances of users being included across a new database every time they purchase official parts is also true.
We do know that the head of iFixit did confirm how his organization shared details belonging to clients with the South Korean tech giant. So when you bought from them, you entered into an agreement that you’re okay with iFixit giving Samsung your details like email and every part you may have bought in front of them.
But they did reiterate how the data for any kind of collaboration other than this is never entertained and no details of the clients were ever shared.
For now, iFixit is staying hush on Samsung’s controversial deal as they claim to have never seen such a copy of the document yet.
Remember, laws linked to the right to repairs tend to differ from one state to the next. For instance, we’ve got laws in California not being so clear and reasonable. Moreover, not every shop is aware of what rights it’s entitled to or wishes to fight with such a huge name in the industry as Samsung. The latter controls close to 25% of the American smartphone market in the US alone and is certainly the top provider of Android devices too in the country.
Now, another expert from the US Public Interest Research had his say on the matter and he does not feel the accusations made against Samsung are correct.
He doubts them and the thought of third-party repair shops stripping parts from user devices is not easy and needs the right resources.
But as far as giving up user data is concerned, that could well be a possibility as the tech giant usually knows which genuine parts are getting purchased and when new ones are getting installed so they are better capable of tracking those who aren’t complying.
Image: DIW-Aigewn
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