Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has turned its attention towards manufacturers like Zotac, ASRock, and Gigabyte for their utilization of “warranty void if removed” stickers. These small stickers act as a deterrent for users wanting to conduct maintenance on their own hardware, risking the voiding of their warranty in the process.
The primary concern raised by the FTC is that these brands are impeding users from exercising their rights to maintain their own equipment by imposing these stickers.
Issues arise from the warranty conditions of ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac as they imply that seeking maintenance services elsewhere or using third-party components could nullify the warranty. This practice contradicts the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which dictates that warranties cannot be contingent on specific services or products.
These companies have been given a 30-day ultimatum by the FTC to alter their policies or potentially face legal and financial repercussions as a consequence. The outcome of this situation remains to be seen.
