Assistive technology has become essential to helping millions of people live fuller, more independent lives. Yet, as technology evolves, users with disabilities face an uphill struggle to maintain control over how these devices work. Built-in barriers, driven by digital rights management (DRM) and corporate policies, increasingly block users from making essential modifications to assistive devices. Today, activists and organizations, like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), argue that the fight for technological self-determination is critical for those with disabilities—and for all tech users.
Locked Out by Design: The DRM Dilemma in Assistive Devices
For those relying on high-tech assistive tools, the stakes are high. Devices like powered wheelchairs, glucose monitors, and bionic implants have transformed possibilities for users with disabilities, but a hidden adversary lurks: DRM. This technology, aimed at preventing unauthorized modifications, is leaving users stranded.
Consider powered wheelchairs, essential for many users’ mobility. Many wheelchair models, controlled by corporate monopolies, use DRM to restrict adjustments or repairs to authorized technicians only. This means that simple modifications—like recalibrating wheels after tire pressure adjustments—can require a service call. This not only leads to long waits but can trap users in their homes, unable to move until their equipment is serviced.
In 2022, Colorado led the way by passing a Right to Repair law specific to powered wheelchairs, allowing users to access tools and resources for basic repairs. Similar efforts are underway in California and at the federal level. But these legal actions are slow to implement, and for those whose lives depend on these devices, the wait for reform is a hardship they simply can’t afford.
Beyond Repairs: How DRM Complicates Everyday Use and Customization
Digital rights management not only affects repairs but also everyday usability. For example, Encrypted Media Extensions (EME), designed to protect digital content from piracy, includes some basic accessibility features, such as closed captions and audio descriptions. Yet users can’t legally modify EME to add more tailored accessibility features. Even though many people with disabilities are some of the most innovative tech users, modifying DRM-protected technology puts them at legal risk.
With DRM, features that could help accessibility are often left out. For instance:
- Color adjustments for those with color blindness are limited.
- Screen flashes, which could be seizure triggers, are not modifiable.
- Additional captions or descriptions cannot be added to existing video streams.
The EME case highlights a broader issue: while tech giants have control over accessible technology, they have no obligation to address every unique need, leaving many users locked out of features they rely on. The slogan “Nothing about us without us,” which embodies the disability rights movement, highlights this disparity, arguing that people with disabilities deserve a say in technology design decisions.
Implanted Technologies: The High Stakes of Restrictive Medical Tech
As tech evolves, assistive devices are increasingly moving from the external to the internal—from wearable gadgets to implants. Yet, implants like insulin pumps and glucose monitors come with their own DRM restrictions, designed to prevent patients from switching providers. Often, when the manufacturer steps away, DRM also blocks third-party developers from supporting or repairing the technology, leading to a new kind of “orphaned tech.” In some cases, DRM can leave patients unable to access necessary upgrades, updates, or even life-saving repairs.
Imagine having a bionic eye that stops functioning when the manufacturer folds. The law, in this case, does nothing to protect the user’s rights to modify or repair the device. Unlike a smartphone or laptop, it’s not just a convenience issue—it’s about basic functionality and, often, quality of life.
In today’s healthcare landscape, this “Bizarro world of assistive tech” comes with its risks. Where many hope for more freedom and control, they find tighter restrictions and threats of legal consequences for anyone attempting to hack their own devices.
A Global Issue: How Self-Determination in Tech Impacts Everyone
Technological self-determination isn’t a concern exclusive to people with disabilities; it’s an issue that impacts everyone in the digital age. While advocates for assistive tech rights push for change, they’re also pushing for a broader shift in how we all interact with technology. A curb ramp, intended to help wheelchair users, is just as beneficial for parents with strollers and travelers with rolling suitcases. Similarly, accessibility improvements to assistive tech would benefit all users.
As more people rely on technology for daily life, questions of ownership, access, and control become universal. Open-source platforms, repair-friendly designs, and legally protected modification rights are principles that could lead to more inclusive technology. And while the legal system inches toward providing users with more rights, advocates stress that policy alone isn’t enough to remove all the obstacles facing users with disabilities.