Public Knowledge announced that the US Copyright Office approved a request from the non-profit public interest group and DIY repair site iFixit, allowing McDonald’s franchise owners to hire third-party services to repair their McFlurry and soft-serve ice cream machines. Previously, due to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), franchise owners were legally prohibited from employing outside businesses to service these machines. The soft-serve machines come with a digital lock that prevents bypassing, even without copyright infringement, restricting repairs to the original manufacturer. The new exemption overrides this digital lock law.
Customers frequently encounter malfunctioning ice cream machines at McDonald’s. This is attributed to the need for franchises to await an authorized repair technician from McDonald’s corporation, which drew attention from the Federal Trade Commission in 2021. Under a directive from President Joe Biden, new regulations were being considered to permit consumers to repair their devices legally and to engage third parties for such repairs. The FTC reached out to McDonald’s franchise owners to understand the challenges surrounding the repair of these ice cream machines.
Last year, iFixit conducted a teardown of a McDonald’s ice cream dispenser, revealing numerous easily replaceable parts. However, federal copyright laws hindered repairs. This investigation led iFixit to collaborate with Public Knowledge to secure a copyright exemption, thus facilitating repairs. Additionally, iFixit created a video to elaborate on the machine’s internal components.
