Penalties should be a lot worse than they are, but the requirement to open up availability of tools for 10 years is nice. And the number of about 50% for repair costs being reimbursed is striking, compared to what these kinds of settlements usually pay out. Which, of course, is depressing, in itself.

I'm tired of hearing about fines, it's clearly not enough. Start sending these people to prison.

That's about 2% of John Deere's total profit in 2025.

We dont need a settlement, we need restitution and reform.

Its time that when companies do systemic harm to their customers and the public, that the penalty should be transfer of ownership to a public NGO consisting of its customers and public representation.

Something along the lines of chapter 9 institutions under South African law.

To shareholders, make sure the company operates morally, or you lose your ownership.

Settlement is what percentage of annual profits? Oh, so the violation was worth it.

Hardly a rounding error.

The settlement also includes an agreement by Deere to provide “the digital tools ​required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair” of tractors, combines, and other machinery for 10 years.
[...]
Still, John Deere isn’t out of the woods yet. It still faces another lawsuit from the United States Federal Trade Commission, in which the government organization accuses Deere of harmfully locking down the repair process.

LOL, that tractor with the extended front wheel base would steer like shit...

There used to be a time when things were made to last. I still have a refrigerator that is older then my parents. It's perfectly repairable but consumes a bit of electricity but it's better then buying a new one every 5 years and throwing the old one in a dump.

It's not that monumental, and still lower than the profits from their actions.

Its worth noting that this settlement is technically just kicking the can down the road 10 years and 99 mil is just a rounding error when it comes to corpos at this scale. In my opinion, the endgame of right to repair is robust legislation.

Good to see a corpo lose, but this is hardly a hit to them. 99$ million is pocket change for John Deere, they had around 5$ billion dollars in net profit last year. That's not even 2% procent.

If I took the avarage yearly salary in my country, minus taxes and cost of living expenses, and took 2% of that I probably couldn't even buy a book.

Good. John Deere represents the worst in right to repair. Phones and laptops are bad, but John Deere is the worst. A near monopoly contractors that coat well into the 6 digits, with locked down softwarethat is required, and limits on repairs and replacement parks that go and their printer cartridges drool over. Apple and its glued batteries are nothing compared to the required certified John Deere replacement parts.

I'll gladly accept the 99mil, and also hope they get hit with more.

the $99million is pocket change to them. They've made billions with their grift. The "settlement" is just the cost of business. The only thing that matters here is the 10 year tools/parts to 3rd parties. And even that is pretty fucking weak.