itnewsbot, to ChatGPT
pluralistic, to apple
@pluralistic@mamot.fr avatar

has no cannier, more dedicated adversary than whose most innovative work is dreaming up new ways to sneakily sabotage repair while claiming to be a caring environmental steward, a lie that covers up the mountains of that Apple dooms our descendants to wade through.

--

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently

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pluralistic,
@pluralistic@mamot.fr avatar

This process has many names, but because it was first used in the automotive sector, it's widely known as ( stands for , the unique number given to every car by its manufacturer). VIN-locking is used to block independent mechanics from repairing your car; even if they use the manufacturer's own parts, the parts and the engine will refuse to work together until the manufacturer's rep keys in the unlock code:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

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