Consumer groups are behind a campaign to enact “right-to-repair” legislation in Pennsylvania. According to PennPirg, a consumer rights organization, “manufacturers often withhold critical information, tools, and parts to fix a wide range of products including cell phones, hospital equipment, tractors, and other devices.”
PennPirg says the proposal has taken on urgency during the coronavirus pandemic because hospitals sometimes don’t have what they need to repair ventilators – one of the most essential pieces of medical equipment during the pandemic.
Some repair information was released last week by at least one manufacturer.
Appearing on Tuesday’s Smart Talk to discuss right-to-repair are Emma Horst-Martz, Campaign Associate with PennPirg and Barbara Maguire, Vice President of Quality at ISS Solutions and Geisinger Clinical Engineering.
Also, while the world is in the pandemic, many people are sharing information on social media that may not be accurate. At the same time, many are sharing life stories, updates, and using social media to keep community alive. COVID-19 may have made Facebook more relevant. Government agencies are using social media to share updates.
Professor Charles Palmer, Executive Director for the Center for Advanced Entertainment and Learning Technologies, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is on Tuesday’s Smart Talk to talk about the plusses and negatives of social media.
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