Paper short abstract:

The right-to-repair movement seeks to improve access to repair services and secure consumers' legal rights to repair their devices, promoting sustainability and product longevity. This study highlights the importance of mentorship in reducing user alienation and enhancing repair.

Paper long abstract:

The right-to-repair movement is a multifaceted advocacy effort involving consumers, repair technicians, and environmental advocates, all aiming to enhance access to repair services and foster greater autonomy over device maintenance. This movement strives to secure legal rights for consumers to obtain components and repair their purchased devices, promoting sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and product longevity. The increasing complexity of modern products often alienates users, making repair and maintenance challenging. This study explores the interplay between mentorship and the right-to-repair, highlighting how mentorship can mitigate user alienation by fostering a sense of control and understanding over possessions. Using a case study methodology, this research underscores the importance of mentorship in cultivating these skills by eliminating the alienation towards objects. Additionally, the study considers the role of AI, specifically ChatGPT, as an alternative mentor in the repair ecosystem.