Own Your Shit Tour: Advocates Push Back Against Device Lockdowns
YouTuber Louis Rossmann's nationwide tour rallies support for the right to repair and control personal devices. The events focus on repealing Section 1201 of the DMCA, which prohibits bypassing manufacturer-imposed digital locks. Rossmann's nonprofit Fulu offers bounties for disabling such locks, even at legal risk.
The tour’s final stop lands in Maryland on October 1, following a summer of events that drew crowds like the 80 attendees in San Jose. Fulu, co-founded by Rossmann and Kevin O’Reilly, funds bounties for disabling manufacturer-imposed digital locks, even when such actions carry legal risk. Speakers included EFF policy director Katharine Trendacosta, who criticized the dual extraction of subscription fees and user data, and representatives from a Fisker owners’ group resisting planned obsolescence. Rossmann’s rhetoric frames legal threats as badges of honor, and he targets subscription creep, remote content deletion, and unsupported hardware as forms of “ransomware.”
This movement could reshape consumer expectations around ownership, pressuring manufacturers to offer more transparent terms or longer support windows. If Section 1201 repeal gains traction, device repair and modification may become easier, potentially lowering costs for individuals and reducing e-waste. However, companies may argue that weakened locks threaten security and intellectual property. The tour’s grassroots energy suggests a growing public appetite for legislative change, but its impact likely depends on whether advocacy translates into sustained political pressure beyond enthusiast circles.