MESSAGE
| DATE | 2023-03-14 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [Hangout - NYLXS] HP Inject Wars
|
https://gizmodo.com/hp-printers-drm-update-block-third-party-ink-1850211997
HP Printers Are Doing the DRM Thing Again
Nikki Main
4–5 minutes
HP is receiving backlash after users reported that their non-brand ink
cartridges stopped working following recent firmware updates.
Off
English
The company support center has justified its updates, saying it
implements “dynamic security measures” to ensure that the printer can
actively connect to the security chips or electronic circuitry used in
the ink cartridges.
According to the company, including these security measures helps to
“maintain the integrity of [its] printing systems, and protect [its]
intellectual property.” But customers feel tricked as affordable ink
cartridges that were perfectly good on one day, become useless the next.
HP has been involved in numerous class-action lawsuits in the U.S.,
Italy, and Australia over its shady sales tactics. The U.S. lawsuit was
filed in 2020 and claimed the firmware update was used to “block
customers from using third-party ink and toner cartridges and force them
to buy more expensive HP-branded supplies.” Despite paying millions of
dollars in settlements, the profits from this strategy appear to
outweigh the penalties.
HP printers are designed to work with original HP ink and toner
cartridges, HP Printers said in an emailed statement to Gizmodo. The
company added that it is standard protocol in the printing business to
“authenticate cartridges.” HP continued, “HP uses Dynamic Security
measures to protect the quality of our customer experience, maintain the
integrity of our printing systems, and protect our intellectual property.”
The firmware update effectively acted as malware to block third-party
cartridges from working with the printer, the 2020 lawsuit alleged.
Customers argued they weren’t warned about the update and were unaware
that it would eliminate the option of buying less expensive cartridges
for the HP printer.
G/O Media may get a commission
“HP deliberately provided false representations and omissions to prevent
customers from learning the intentional and unlawful design of HP’s
firmware updates and authentication procedures and further inducing its
customers to purchase new supply cartridges from HP,” the lawsuit says.
Despite the existing complaints and lawsuits, HP continues to issue
firmware updates that give users no discernible options outside
HP-branded ink, sparking outrage amongst customers who thought the
disruption was resolved. One HP user posted a complaint via Reddit on
Tuesday and shared a screenshot of an HP notice that popped up when
trying to change the cartridge, saying it was blocked by the printer
firmware because it doesn’t contain an HP chip.
The customer wrote, “HP has updated their printers to outright ban
‘non-HP’ ink! They no longer show the ‘can’t guarantee quality’ message,
but instead cancels your print completely until you [insert] an HP ink
cartridge. After contacting HP, they advised ‘this is due to the recent
‘update’ of all printers.’” The post attracted hundreds of comments as
others piled in with their own stories and theories for getting around
the cartridge ban.
HP’s customer support page does warn users that non-HP cartridges will
not work unless it is validated by the company and “has an original HP
security chip or unmodified HP electronic circuitry.” It’s just become
increasingly unclear which cartridges are compatible with what models.
Before purchasing a non-HP brand cartridge, HP suggests checking with
the supplier to ensure that it will work with its printer. Or, ya know,
you could just buy a printer that doesn’t require a bunch of additional
time and money to handle the basic function of printing.
--
So many immigrant groups have swept through our town
that Brooklyn, like Atlantis, reaches mythological
proportions in the mind of the world - RI Safir 1998
http://www.mrbrklyn.com
DRM is THEFT - We are the STAKEHOLDERS - RI Safir 2002
http://www.nylxs.com - Leadership Development in Free Software
http://www.brooklyn-living.com
Being so tracked is for FARM ANIMALS and extermination camps,
but incompatible with living as a free human being. -RI Safir 2013
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