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<title>Proprietary Sabotage - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Malware</a> /
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<h2>Proprietary Sabotage</h2>
<div class="infobox">
<hr class="full-width" />
<p>Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to
mistreat the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its developers,
which puts them in a position of power over the users; <a
href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">that is the
basic injustice</a>. The developers and manufacturers often exercise
that power to the detriment of the users they ought to serve.</p>
<p>This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities.</p>
<hr class="full-width" />
</div>
<div class="article">
<p>Some malicious functionalities mediate sabotage, i.e. abusive
interference of the developer into the use of the software, with harmful
consequences for the users. Examples of such situations are listed below.</p>
<div class="important">
<p>If you know of an example that ought to be in this page but isn't
here, please write
to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>
to inform us. Please include the URL of a trustworthy reference or two
to serve as specific substantiation.</p>
</div>
<div class="column-limit" id="proprietary-sabotage"></div>
<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202412250">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-12</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Windows Defender <a
href="https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-defender-deleted-my-download-without/0b4211cf-80f7-47c7-8ea0-675785a0003c">
deletes downloaded files that it considers malware</a> as soon as
they are saved to disk, without requesting permission to do so. Many
angry users have complained about this unacceptable behavior over the
last few years, and even suggested fixes, but Microsoft has ignored
them. It is high time for Windows users to escape Microsoft's tyranny
by migrating to a free/libre system.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202411110">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Ubisoft is facing a fraud lawsuit for <a
href="https://www.polygon.com/gaming/476979/ubisoft-the-crew-shut-down-lawsuit-class-action">
shutting down the proprietary video game The Crew, which was tethered
to its servers</a>. As this game can't be played offline, people who
used to think they owned a copy of it are now realizing they only
bought a license that could be revoked at will by the developer.</p>
<p>This is one more example of what tethering of a proprietary program
leads to. If The Crew were free software, its users would be able to
set up another server, and keep on playing.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202401180.1">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-01</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a href="/proprietary/uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html">UHD
Blu-ray disks are loaded with malware of the worst kinds</a>.
Not only does playback of these disks on a PC require proprietary
software and hardware that enforce AACS, a very nasty DRM, but
developers of software players are forbidden from disclosing any source
code. The user could also lose the ability to play AACS-restricted disks
anytime by attempting to play a new Blu-ray disk.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202312060">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-12</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
href="https://badcyber.com/dieselgate-but-for-trains-some-heavyweight-hardware-hacking/">Newag,
a Polish railway manufacturer, puts DRM inside trains to prevent
third-party repairs</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>The train's software contains code to detect if the GPS
coordinates are near some third party repairers, or the train has not
been running for some time. If yes, the train will be “locked
up” (i.e. bricked). It was also possible to unlock it by
pressing a secret combination of buttons in the cockpit, but this
ability was removed by a manufacturer's software update.</p></li>
<li><p>The train will also lock up after a certain date, which is
hardcoded in the software.</p></li>
<li><p>The company pushes a software update that detects if the
DRM code has been bypassed, i.e. the lock should have been engaged
but the train is still operational. If yes, the controller cabin
screen will display a scary message warning about “copyright
violation”.</p></li>
</ul>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202311301">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231213150111/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/12/technology/iphone-repair-apple-control.html">To
block non-Apple repairs, Apple encodes the iMonster serial
number in the original parts</a>. This is called “parts
pairing”. Swapping parts between working iMonsters of the same
model causes malfunction or disabling of some functionalities. Part
replacement may also trigger persistent alerts, unless it is done by
an Apple store.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202311070">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Chamberlain Group <a
href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/11/chamberlain-blocks-smart-garage-door-opener-from-working-with-smart-homes/">blocks
users from using third-party software</a> with its garage
openers. This is an intentional attack on using free software. The
official garage opener proprietary mobile app is now also <a
href="https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/09/lead-me-not-into-temptation/#chamberlain">infested
with ads, including up-selling its other services and devices.</a></p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202305100">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>HP delivers printers with a
universal back door, and recently used it to <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/may/10/how-can-hp-block-me-from-using-a-cheaper-printer-cartridge">
sabotage them by remotely installing malware</a>. The malware makes the
printer refuse to function with non-HP ink cartrides, and even with old
HP cartridges which HP now declares to have “expired.”
HP calls the back door “dynamic security,”
and has the gall to claim that this “security” protects
users from malware.</p>
<p>If you own an HP printer that can still use non-HP cartridges,
we urge you to disconnect it from the internet. This will ensure that
HP doesn't sabotage it by “updating” its software.</p>
<p><small>Note how the author of the Guardian article credulously
repeats HP's assertion that the “dynamic security”
feature protects users against malware, not recognizing that the
article demonstrates it does the opposite.</small></p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202208070">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2022-08</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Some Epson printers are programmed to <a
href="https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/22/08/07/0350244/epson-programs-some-printers-to-stop-operating-claiming-danger-of-ink-spills">
stop working after they have printed a predetermined number
of pages</a>, on the pretext that ink pads become saturated
with ink. This constitutes an unacceptable infringement on
users' freedom to use their printers as they wish, and on their <a
href="https://fighttorepair.substack.com/p/citing-danger-of-ink-spills-epson">
right to repair them</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202207300">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2022-07</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The nonfree software in a Tesla artificially <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jul/30/will-connected-cars-persuade-drivers-to-pay-for-a-high-spec-ride">
limits the car's driving range</a>, demanding ransom to unlock the
battery's full charge.</p>
<p>This is one more reason why cars must not be “connected.”</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202207010">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2022-07</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>ATMs and vending machines in Russia
run nonfree software—The machines' owners <a
href="https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/07/01/russian-atms-reject-new-100-ruble-bill-kommersant-a78175">
cannot fix them</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202111201">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>NordicTrack, a company that sells
exercise machines with ability to show videos <a
href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/11/locked-out-of-god-mode-runners-are-hacking-their-treadmills/">limits
what people can watch, and recently disabled a feature</a> that was
originally functional. This happened through automatic update and
probably involved a universal back door.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202110130">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Adobe <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20211014123717/https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/13/theres-an-app-for-that/#gnash">has
licensed its Flash Player to China's Zhong Cheng Network</a> who is
offering the program bundled with spyware and a back door that can
remotely deactivate it.</p>
<p>Adobe is responsible for this since they gave Zhong Cheng
Network permission to do this. This injustice involves “misuse” of
the DMCA, but “proper,” intended use of the DMCA is a much bigger
injustice. There is <a href="/philosophy/right-to-read.html">a series
of errors related to DMCA</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202105040">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>A motorcycle company named Klim is selling airbag
vests with different payment methods, one of them is through a <a
href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/93yyyd/this-motorcycle-airbag-vest-will-stop-working-if-you-miss-a-payment">proprietary
subscription-based option that will block the vest from inflating if
the payments don't go through</a>.</p>
<p>They say there is a 30-days grace period if you miss a payment
but the grace period is no excuse to the insecurity.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202011120">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Apple has <a
href="https://sneak.berlin/20201112/your-computer-isnt-yours">implemented
href="https://sneak.berlin/20201112/your-computer-isnt-yours/">implemented
a malware in its computers that imposes surveillance</a> on users
and reports users' computing to Apple.</p>
<p>The reports are even unencrypted and they've been leaking this
data for two years already. This malware is reporting to Apple what
user opens what program at what time. It also gives Apple
power to sabotage users' computing.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202011060">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>A new app published by Google <a
href="https://www.xda-developers.com/google-device-lock-controller-banks-payments/">lets
banks and creditors deactivate people's Android devices</a> if they
fail to make payments. If someone's device gets deactivated, it will
be limited to basic functionality, such as emergency calling and
access to settings.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202010120">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Samsung is forcing its smartphone users in Hong Kong (and Macau) <a
href="https://blog.headuck.com/2020/10/12/samsung-phones-force-mainland-china-dns-service-upon-hong-kong-wifi-users/">to
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240606175013/https://blog.headuck.com/2020/10/12/samsung-phones-force-mainland-china-dns-service-upon-hong-kong-wifi-users/">to
use a public DNS in Mainland China</a>, using software update released
in September 2020, which causes many unease and privacy concerns.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202008182">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-08</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Oculus headsets <a
href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/18/21372435/oculus-facebook-login-change-separate-account-support-end-quest-october">require
users to identify themselves to Facebook</a>. This will give Facebook
free rein to pervasively snoop on Oculus users.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202007280">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-07</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The Focals eyeglass display, with snooping
microphone, has been eliminated. Google eliminated
it by buying the manufacturer and shutting it down. It also <a
href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/article/canadian-smart-glasses-going-offline-weeks-after-company-bought-by-google/">shut
down the server these devices depend on</a>, which caused the ones
already sold to cease to function.</p>
<p>It may be a good thing to wipe out this product—for
“smart,” read “snoop”—but Google
didn't do that for the sake of privacy. Rather, it was eliminating
competition for its own snooping product.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M202007270">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-07</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The Mellow sous-vide cooker is
tethered to a server. The company suddenly <a
href="https://www.slashgear.com/mellow-sous-vide-owners-get-unwelcome-subscription-surprise-27630842/">
href="https://www.slashgear.com/mellow-sous-vide-owners-get-unwelcome-subscription-surprise-28630842/">
turned this tethering into a subscription</a>, forbidding users from
taking advantage of the “advanced features” of the cooker
unless they pay a monthly fee.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201912090">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-12</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>iMonsters and Android phones,
when used for work, give employers powerful <a
href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90440073/if-you-use-your-personal-phone-for-work-say-goodbye-to-your-privacy">
snooping and sabotage capabilities</a> if they install their own
software on the device. Many employers demand to do this. For the
employee, this is simply nonfree software, as fundamentally unjust
and as dangerous as any other nonfree software.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201910071">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Adobe has <a
href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/adobe-to-ban-users-from-venezuela-due-to-us-executive-order/">
cancelled the software subscriptions of all users in
Venezuela</a>. This demonstrates how a requirement for subscription can be
turned into a tool for sabotage.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201909160">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-09</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Tesla users claim Tesla <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-battery/tesla-owner-lawsuit-claims-software-update-fraudulently-cut-battery-capacity-idUSKCN1UY2TW">force-installed
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-battery/tesla-owner-lawsuit-claims-software-update-fraudulently-cut-battery-capacity-idUSKCN1UY2TW/">force-installed
software to cut down on battery range</a>, rather than replace the
defective batteries. Tesla did this to avoid having to run their
warranty.</p>
<p>This means that proprietary software can potentially be a way to
commit perjury with impunity.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201909061">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-09</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Best Buy made controllable appliances and <a
href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/6/20853671/best-buy-connect-insignia-smart-plug-wifi-freezer-mobile-app-shutdown-november-6">
shut down the service to control them through</a>.</p>
<p>Best Buy acknowledged that it was mistreating its customers by
doing so, and offered reimbursement of the affected appliances. The
fact remains, however, that tethering a device to a server is a way
of restricting and harassing users. The nonfree software in the
device is what stops users from cutting the tether.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201908130">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-08</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>When Apple suspects a user of fraud, it
judges the case secretly and presents the verdict
as a fait accompli. The punishment to a user found guilty <a
href="https://qz.com/1683460/what-happens-to-your-itunes-account-when-apple-says-youve-committed-fraud/">is
href="https://qz.com/1683460/what-happens-to-your-itunes-account-when-apple-says-youve-committed-fraud">is
being cut off for life, which more-or-less cripples the user's Apple
devices forever</a>. There is no appeal.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201905140">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Adobe <a
href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/a3xk3p/adobe-tells-users-they-can-get-sued-for-using-old-versions-of-photoshop">
revoked the license of some older versions</a> of its applications,
and warned customers that they can get sued for using them.</p>
<p>This is further proof that users of nonfree software are in the
hands of its developer.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201904260">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The Jibo robot toys were tethered to the manufacturer's server,
and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-north-america-technology-business-ap-top-news-99c9ec8ebad242ca88178e22c7642648">
the company made them all cease to work</a> by shutting down that
server.</p>
<p>The shutdown might ironically be good for their users, since the
product was designed to manipulate people by presenting a phony
semblance of emotions, and was most certainly spying on them.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201904041">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Microsoft has been <a
href="https://borncity.com/win/2019/01/17/windows-10-update-kb4023057-re-released-1-16-2019/">
force-installing a “remediation”
program</a> on computers running certain
versions of Windows 10. Remediation, in Microsoft's view, means <a
href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb4023057-update-for-windows-10-update-service-components-fccad0ca-dc10-2e46-9ed1-7e392450fb3a">
href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb4023057-update-health-tools-windows-update-service-components-fccad0ca-dc10-2e46-9ed1-7e392450fb3a">
tampering with users' settings and files</a>, notably to
“repair” any components of the updating system that users
may have intentionally disabled, and thus regain full power over
them. Microsoft repeatedly pushed faulty versions of this program to
users' machines, causing numerous problems, some of which <a
href="https://www.windowsmode.com/microsoft-suspends-windows-10-october-2018-update-rollout-due-to-critical-bugs/">
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240223182933/https://www.windowsmode.com/microsoft-suspends-windows-10-october-2018-update-rollout-due-to-critical-bugs/">
critical</a>.</p>
<p>This exemplifies the arrogant and manipulative attitude
that proprietary software developers have learned to adopt
toward the people they are supposedly serving. Migrate to a <a
href="/distros/free-distros.html">free operating system</a> if you
can!</p>
<p>If your employer makes you run Windows, tell the financial
department how this wastes your time dealing with endless connections
and premature hardware failures.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201904040">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Ebooks “bought” from Microsoft's store check that
their DRM is valid by connecting to the store every time their
“owner” wants to read them. Microsoft is going to close
this store, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47810367">
bricking all DRM'ed ebooks it has ever “sold”</a>. (The
article additionally highlights the pitfalls of DRM.)</p>
<p>This is another proof that a DRM-encumbered product doesn't belong
to the person who bought it. Microsoft said it will refund customers,
but this is no excuse for selling them restricted books.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201903250">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-03</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The British supermarket Tesco sold tablets which were tethered
to Tesco's server for reinstalling default settings. Tesco <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/mar/25/tesco-hudl-tablet-support-kill-fix">
turned off the server for old models</a>, so now if you try to
reinstall the default settings, it bricks them instead.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201902041">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-02</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Twenty nine “beauty camera” apps that used to be
on Google Play had one or more malicious functionalities, such
as stealing users' photos instead of “beautifying” them, <a
href="https://www.teleanalysis.com/these-29-beauty-camera-apps-steal-private-photo/">
href="https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/02/03/google-bans-29-beauty-camera-apps-from-the-play-store-that-steal-your-photos/">
pushing unwanted and often malicious ads on users, and redirecting them
to phishing sites</a> that stole their credentials. Furthermore, the
user interface of most of them was designed to make uninstallation
difficult.</p>
<p>Users should of course uninstall these dangerous apps if they
haven't yet, but they should also stay away from nonfree apps in
general. <em>All</em> nonfree apps carry a potential risk because
there is no easy way of knowing what they really do.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201811020">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Foundry's graphics software <a
href="https://torrentfreak.com/software-company-fines-pirates-after-monitoring-their-computers-181102/">
reports information to identify who is running it</a>. The result is
often a legal threat demanding a lot of money.</p>
<p>The fact that this is used for repression of forbidden sharing
makes it even more vicious.</p>
<p>This illustrates that making unauthorized copies of nonfree software
is not a cure for the injustice of nonfree software. It may avoid
paying for the nasty thing, but cannot make it less nasty.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201810240">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Apple and Samsung deliberately <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/oct/24/apple-samsung-fined-for-slowing-down-phones">degrade
the performance of older phones to force users to buy their newer
phones</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201810150">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Printer manufacturers are very innovative—at blocking the
use of independent replacement ink cartridges. Their “security
upgrades” occasionally impose new forms of cartridge DRM. <a
href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/pa98ab/printer-makers-are-crippling-cheap-ink-cartridges-via-bogus-security-updates">
HP and Epson have done this</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201807050">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-07</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The Jawbone fitness tracker was tethered to a proprietary phone
app. In 2017, the company shut down and made the app stop working. <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/05/defunct-jawbone-fitness-trackers-kept-selling-after-app-closure-says-which">All
the existing trackers stopped working forever</a>.</p>
<p>The article focuses on a further nasty fillip, that sales of the
broken devices continued. But we think that is a secondary issue;
it made the nasty consequences extend to some additional people.
The fundamental wrong was to design the devices to depend on something
else that didn't respect users' freedom.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201806250">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-06</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The game Metal Gear Rising for
MacOS was tethered to a server. The company <a
href="http://www.gamerevolution.com/news/400087-metal-gear-rising-mac-unplayable-drm">
href="https://www.gamerevolution.com/news/400087-metal-gear-rising-mac-unplayable-drm">
shut down the server, and all copies stopped working</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201805310">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Apple has <a
href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/31/17412396/telegram-apple-app-store-app-updates-russia">blocked
Telegram from upgrading its app for a month</a>.</p>
<p>This evidently has to do with Russia's command to Apple to block
Telegram in Russia.</p>
<p>The Telegram client is free software on other platforms, but not on
iThings. Since <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-jails.html#apple">they
are jails</a>, they don't permit any app to be free software.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201711080">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Logitech will sabotage
all Harmony Link household control devices by <a
href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/11/logitech-to-shut-down-service-and-support-for-harmony-link-devices-in-2018/">
turning off the server through which the products' supposed owners
communicate with them</a>.</p>
<p>The owners suspect this is to pressure them to buy a newer model. If
they are wise, they will learn, rather, to distrust any product that
requires users to talk with them through some specialized service.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201710044">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>MacOS High Sierra forcibly reformats SSD boot drives, and <a
href="https://www.macworld.com/article/3230498/apple-file-system-apfs-faq.html">
href="https://www.macworld.com/article/230582/apple-file-system-apfs-faq.html">
changes the file system from HFS+ to APFS</a>, which cannot be
accessed from GNU/Linux, Windows or even older versions of MacOS.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201710040.1">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The Canary home surveillance
camera has been sabotaged by its manufacturer, <a
href="https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/4/16426394/canary-smart-home-camera-free-service-update-change">
turning off many features unless the user starts paying for a
subscription</a>.</p>
<p>With manufacturers like these, who needs security breakers?</p>
<p>The purchasers should learn the larger lesson and reject connected
appliances with embedded proprietary software. Every such product is
a temptation to commit sabotage.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201709090">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-09</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Tesla used software to limit customers to using just <a
href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/09/tesla-flips-a-switch-to-increase-the-range-of-some-cars-in-florida-to-help-people-evacuate/">part
of the battery of some cars</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201708230">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-08</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Sonos <a
href="http://www.zdnet.com/article/sonos-accept-new-privacy-policy-speakers-cease-to-function/">
href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/sonos-accept-new-privacy-policy-speakers-cease-to-function/">
told all its customers, “Agree”
to snooping or the product will stop working</a>. <a
href="https://www.consumerreports.org/consumerist/sonos-holds-software-updates-hostage-if-you-dont-sign-new-privacy-agreement/">
Another article</a> says they won't forcibly change the software, but
people won't be able to get any upgrades and eventually it will
stop working.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201706060">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-06</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Apple will stop <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/06/iphone-ipad-apps-games-apple-5-5c-obsolete">fixing
bugs for older model iThings</a>.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Apple stops people from fixing problems themselves;
that's the nature of proprietary software.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201705180">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Bird and rabbit pets were implemented for Second
Life by a company that tethered their food to a server. <a
href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/19/second-life-ozimals-pet-rabbits-dying">
href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/second-life-ozimals-pet-rabbits-dying">
It shut down the server and the pets more or less died</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201704194">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Microsoft has made Windows 7
and 8 cease to function on certain new computers, <a
href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4012982/the-processor-is-not-supported-together-with-the-windows-version-that">effectively
href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/installing-updates-features-roles/processor-not-supported-together-with-windows-version">effectively
forcing their owners to switch to Windows 10</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201704134">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Microsoft <a
href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/04/new-processors-are-now-blocked-from-receiving-updates-on-old-windows/">
has dropped support for Windows 7 and 8 on recent processors</a>
in a big hurry.</p>
<p>It makes no difference what legitimate reasons Microsoft might
have for not doing work to support them. If it doesn't want to do
this work, it should let users do the work.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201704120">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Anova sabotaged users' cooking devices
with a downgrade that tethered them to a remote server. <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170415145520/https://consumerist.com/2017/04/12/anova-ticks-off-customers-by-requiring-mandatory-accounts-to-cook-food/">Unless
users create an account on Anova's servers, their cookers won't
function</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201704070">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p id="iphone7-sabotage">The
iPhone 7 contains DRM specifically designed to <a
href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/kbjm8e/iphone-7-home-button-unreplaceable-repair-software-lock">
brick it if an “unauthorized” repair shop fixes it</a>.
“Unauthorized” essentially means anyone besides Apple.</p>
<p><small>(The article uses the term “lock”
to describe the DRM, but we prefer to use the term <a
href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#DigitalLocks"> digital
handcuffs</a>.)</small></p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201612200">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-12</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The developer of Ham Radio Deluxe <a
href="https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20161220/12411836320/company-bricks-users-software-after-he-posts-negative-review.shtml">sabotaged
href="https://www.techdirt.com/2016/12/22/software-company-shows-how-not-to-handle-negative-review/">sabotaged
a customer's installation as punishment for posting a negative
review</a>.</p>
<p>Most proprietary software companies don't use their power so
harshly, but it is an injustice that they all <em>have</em> such
power.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201609200">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-09</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>HP's firmware downgrade <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/20/hp-inkjet-printers-unofficial-cartridges-software-update">imposed
DRM on some printers, which now refuse to function with third-party
ink cartridges</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201606270">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-06</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p id="windows10-forcing">In its efforts to trick users of Windows
7 and 8 into installing all-spying Windows 10 against their
will, Microsoft forced their computers to <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/sep/11/microsoft-downloading-windows-1">
silently download… the whole of Windows 10</a>! Apparently,
this was done through a <a
href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#windows-update">
universal back door</a>. Not only did the unwanted downloads <a
href="https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/06/03/windows_10_upgrade_satellite_link/">
href="https://www.theregister.com/2016/06/03/windows_10_upgrade_satellite_link/">
jeopardize important operations in regions of the world with poor
connectivity</a>, but many of the people who let installation proceed
found out that this “upgrade” was in fact a <a
href="http://gizmodo.com/woman-wins-10-000-from-microsoft-after-unwanted-window-1782666146">
href="https://gizmodo.com/woman-wins-10-000-from-microsoft-after-unwanted-window-1782666146">
downgrade</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201606080">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-06</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Apple <a
href="https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/04/14/uninstall_quicktime_for_windows/">
href="https://www.theregister.com/2016/04/14/uninstall_quicktime_for_windows/">
stops users from fixing the security bugs in Quicktime for Windows</a>,
while refusing to fix them itself.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201606010">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-06</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Once Microsoft has tricked a user
into accepting installation of Windows 10, <a
href="https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/06/01/windows_10_nagware_no_way_out/">they
href="https://www.theregister.com/2016/06/01/windows_10_nagware_no_way_out/">they
find that they are denied the option to cancel or even postpone the
imposed date of installation</a>.</p>
<p>This demonstrates what we've said for years: using proprietary
software means letting someone have power over you, and you're going
to get screwed sooner or later.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201605040">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>The Apple Music client program <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170520213355/https://blog.vellumatlanta.com/2016/05/04/apple-stole-my-music-no-seriously/">scans
the user's file system for music files, copies them to an Apple server,
and deletes them</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201604050">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Revolv is a device that managed “smart home”
operations: switching lights, operate motion sensors, regulating
temperature, etc. Its proprietary software depends on a remote server
to do these tasks. On May 15th, 2016, Google/Alphabet <a
href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/04/nest-reminds-customers-ownership-isnt-what-it-used-be">intentionally
broke it by shutting down the server</a>.</p>
<p>If it were free software, users would have the ability to make it
work again, differently, and then have a freedom-respecting home
instead of a “smart” home. Don't let proprietary software
control your devices and turn them into $300 out-of-warranty
bricks. Insist on self-contained computers that run free software!</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201603060">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-03</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Electronic Arts <a
href="https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/darkspore-servers-shut-down">made
one of its games permanently unplayable</a> by shutting down its
servers. This game was heavily reliant on the company's servers,
and because the software is proprietary, users can't modify it to
make it connect to some other server. If the game were free, people
could still play what they purchased.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201602050">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-02</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>iOS version 9 for iThings <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/feb/05/error-53-apple-iphone-software-update-handset-worthless-third-party-repair">sabotages
them irreparably if they were repaired by someone other than
Apple</a>. Apple eventually backed off from this policy under
criticism from the users. However, it has not acknowledged that this
was wrong.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201601310">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-01</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>FTDI's proprietary driver
for its USB-to-serial chips has been designed to <a
href="http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/windows-update-drivers-bricking-usb-serial-chips-beloved-of-hardware-hackers/">sabotage
href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/windows-update-drivers-bricking-usb-serial-chips-beloved-of-hardware-hackers/">sabotage
alternative compatible chips</a>
so that they no longer work. Microsoft is <a
href="http://it.slashdot.org/story/16/01/31/1720259/ftdi-driver-breaks-hardware-again">installing
href="https://it.slashdot.org/story/16/01/31/1720259/ftdi-driver-breaks-hardware-again">installing
this automatically</a> as an “upgrade”.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201512140">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-12</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Philips “smart” lightbulbs had initially been
designed to interact with other companies' smart light bulbs, but <a
href="https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20151214/07452133070/lightbulb-drm-philips-locks-purchasers-out-third-party-bulbs-with-firmware-update.shtml">
href="https://www.techdirt.com/2015/12/14/lightbulb-drm-philips-locks-purchasers-out-third-party-bulbs-with-firmware-update/">
later the company updated the firmware to disallow
interoperability</a>.</p>
<p>If a product is “smart”, and you didn't build it,
it is cleverly serving its manufacturer <em>against you</em>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201511244">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Google has long had <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/nov/24/google-can-unlock-android-devices-remotely-if-phone-unencrypted">a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/nov/24/google-can-unlock-android-devices-remotely-if-phone-unencrypted">a
back door to remotely unlock an Android device</a>, unless its disk
is encrypted (possible since Android 5.0 Lollipop, but still not
quite the default).</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201511240">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Windows 10 “upgrades” <a
href="http://www.ghacks.net/2015/11/24/beware-latest-windows-10-update-may-remove-programs-automatically/">
delete applications</a> without asking permission.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201510020">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Apple forced millions of iThings to <a
href="https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7256669?tstart=0">download
a system upgrade without asking the users</a>. Apple did not
forcibly install the upgrade but the downloading alone caused lots
of trouble.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201509220">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-09</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2984889/lenovo-collects-usage-data-on-thinkpad-thinkcentre-and-thinkstation-pcs.html">
Lenovo stealthily installed crapware and spyware via
BIOS</a> on Windows installs. Note that the specific
sabotage method Lenovo used did not affect GNU/Linux; also, a
“clean” Windows install is not really clean since <a
href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">Microsoft puts in its
own malware</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201504300">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Vizio <a
href="http://boingboing.net/2015/04/30/telescreen-watch-vizio-adds-s.html">
href="https://boingboing.net/2015/04/30/telescreen-watch-vizio-adds-s.html">
used a firmware “upgrade” to make its TVs snoop on what
users watch</a>. The TVs did not do that when first sold.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201504090">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-04</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Mac OS X had an <a
href="https://truesecdev.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/hidden-backdoor-api-to-root-privileges-in-apple-os-x/">
intentional local back door for 4 years</a>, which could be exploited
by attackers to gain root privileges.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201503260">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-03</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191205010621/https://www.computerworld.com/article/3423768/windows-xp--end-of-an-era--end-of-an-error.html">Microsoft
cut off security fixes for Windows XP, except to some big users that
pay exorbitantly</a>.</p>
<p>Microsoft is going to <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181030194725/https://www.computerworlduk.com/applications/more-than-half-of-all-ie-users-face-patch-axe-in-10-months-3605515/">
cut off support for some Internet Explorer versions</a> in the same
way.</p>
<p>A person or company has the right to cease to work on a particular
program; the wrong here is Microsoft does this after having made the
users dependent on Microsoft, because they are not free to ask anyone
else to work on the program for them.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201503210">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-03</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Amazon <a
href="https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150321/13350230396/while-bricking-jailbroken-fire-tvs-last-year-amazon-did-same-to-kindle-devices.shtml">
href="https://www.techdirt.com/2015/03/24/while-bricking-jailbroken-fire-tvs-last-year-amazon-did-same-to-kindle-devices/">
downgraded the software in users' Swindles</a> so that those already
rooted would cease to function at all.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201412040">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-12</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Apple <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/04/apple-deleted-music-ipods-rivals-steve-jobs">
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/04/apple-deleted-music-ipods-rivals-steve-jobs">
deleted from iPods the music that users had got from internet music
stores that competed with iTunes</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201410130">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/10/nintendo-updates-take-wii-u-hostage-until-you-agree-new-legal-terms">Nintendo
remotely sabotaged all Wiis, the Wii U, making them it refuse to work unless the
user agrees to a new EULA</a>.</p>
<p>We can be quite sure this EULA is unjust because injustice is the
only motive for imposing an EULA.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201405200.1">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>LG <a
href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140511/17430627199/lg-will-take-smart-out-your-smart-tv-if-you-dont-agree-to-share-your-viewing-search-data-with-third-parties.shtml">
href="https://www.techdirt.com/2014/05/20/lg-will-take-smart-out-your-smart-tv-if-you-dont-agree-to-share-your-viewing-search-data-with-third-parties/">
disabled network features</a> on <em>previously purchased</em>
“smart” TVs, unless the purchasers agreed to let LG begin
to snoop on them and distribute their personal data.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201401190">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-01</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Some proprietary <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/19/apple-talking-cats-in-app-purchases">
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/19/apple-talking-cats-in-app-purchases">
games lure children to spend their parents' money</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201309054">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-09</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/05/nsa-gchq-encryption-codes-security">The
href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/05/nsa-gchq-encryption-codes-security">The
NSA has put back doors into nonfree encryption software</a>. We don't
know which ones they are, but we can be sure they include some widely
used systems. This reinforces the point that you can never trust
the security of nonfree software.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201306220">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-06</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130622044225/http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/06/how-can-any-company-ever-trust-microsoft-again/index.htm">Microsoft
informs the NSA of bugs in Windows before fixing them</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201305060">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Adobe applications have time bombs: they <a
href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/06/adobe-goes-all-in-with-subscription-based-creative-cloud-will-stop-selling-regular-cs-licenses-shrink-wrapped-boxes/">
href="https://techcrunch.com/2013/05/06/adobe-goes-all-in-with-subscription-based-creative-cloud-will-stop-selling-regular-cs-licenses-shrink-wrapped-boxes/">
stop working after a certain time</a>, after which the user
must pay to extend the time.</p>
<p>Once there was a problem with the servers
that these programs use to check who has paid, and <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150120010845/http://www.macuser.co.uk/9015-adobe-creative-cloud-outage-leaves-adobe-users-locked-out">
the applications refused to work for anyone</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201301280">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-01</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Oracle's nonfree Java plug-in for browsers <a
href="http://www.zdnet.com/article/a-close-look-at-how-oracle-installs-deceptive-software-with-java-updates/">sneakily
href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/a-close-look-at-how-oracle-installs-deceptive-software-with-java-updates/">sneakily
installs other annoying proprietary software</a>.</p>
<p>That article disregards all other bad things
about proprietary software. For instance, it regards
the inclusion of proprietary Flash Player (which has a <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200808151607/http://www.imasuper.com/2008/10/09/flash-cookies-the-silent-privacy-killer/">surveillance
feature</a> and DRM) in Chrome as a good thing. Chrome is a
proprietary browser with a universal back door.</p>
<p>We don't agree with the article's views on those issues, but we
present it as a factual reference.</p>
<p>In 2014, <a
href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2494794/oracle-will-continue-to-bundle--crapware--with-java.html">
href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2715615/oracle-will-continue-to-bundle--crapware--with-java.html">
Oracle insisted on continuing this practice</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M201003300">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2010-03</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Sony <a
href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/03/sony-steals-feature-from-your-playstation-3">sabotaged
the Playstation 3</a> with a firmware downgrade that removed the
feature that allowed users to run GNU/Linux on it.</p>
<p>Sony subsequently sent police after Geohot, after he cracked the
code that blocked users from changing the firmware, and we responded by
calling for a <a href="http://boycottsony.org">boycott of Sony</a>.</p>
<p>In a court settlement Sony is <a
href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/06/if-you-used-to-run-linux-on-your-ps3-you-could-get-55-from-sony/">
href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/06/if-you-used-to-run-linux-on-your-ps3-you-could-get-55-from-sony/">
now paying for the sabotage</a>.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary-sabotage.html. -->
<li id="M200709270">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2007-09</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2541250/update--apple-plays-hardball--upgrade--bricks--unlocked-iphones.html">
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230315024447/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2541250/update--apple-plays-hardball--upgrade--bricks--unlocked-iphones.html">
An Apple firmware “upgrade” bricked iPhones that had been
unlocked</a>. The “upgrade” also deactivated applications
not approved by <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-jails.html">Apple
censorship</a>. All this was apparently intentional.</p>
</li>
</ul>
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