Deceitful pop-up message on user’s ‘completely fine’ laptop sparks outrage: ‘Are they legally allowed to do that?’

A Reddit user has shared an insidious pop-up they received on a fairly new computer — one that seems intended to scare users into buying new products before they need them.

In a recent post on the r/Anticonsumption subreddit, a user shared a photo of a pop-up message they received on an HP laptop that said: “Last Chance! We hope you are enjoying your HP product. As a courtesy notice, availability for repair or replacement parts and service may no longer be available after 28-01-2023.”

The pop-up goes on to advertise, “Find comparable devices, hand-selected for you! Check available discounts and offers on NEW HP products,” with links to the company’s online store.

“It’s a 7th Gen i3 Laptop that still works completely fine,” the user explained in their caption. “It’s nowhere close to irrelevant compared to even 12th Gen Ci3’s and is also HP’s most popular 15 incher chassis.”

The user seemed flabbergasted by the company pressuring its customers into thinking that recent products are already outdated to drive future sales. The poster insists that their computer works fine and has no signs of slowing down in any significant way. Other users noted that this is a common tactic companies use to make new purchases seem necessary by making older products more difficult to repair.

Electronic waste, including old computers and their various components, is a serious problem. The UN estimates that the world produces up to 50 million tonnes (around 55 million tons) of electronic waste annually, and only 20% of that amount is recycled. Since a significant portion of e-waste contains hazardous materials like mercury, cadmium, and lead, its prevalence in landfills ends up contaminating the soil and water that sustains the food we eat.

To combat dangerous e-waste, it’s vital that we make our electronics last as long as they can and to properly dispose of the waste we do produce by recycling it responsibly instead of letting it into landfills.

Users shared their thoughts and tips for extending the life span of electronics in the comment section of the post.

“This means nothing and is just trying to scare you into buying a new computer. And if you bought a brand new computer with a 7th gen processor in 2020 you got truly scammed,” one user wrote.

“Are they legally allowed to do that? I thought spare parts had to be available for 10 years…or does that only apply to cars?” another user asked.

“It’s s***** that they are trying to scare you into a new machine if yours works for you,” a third user recommended. “Also, as has been mentioned elsewhere:

Uninstall HP software, and DEFINITELY uninstall McAfee/Norton if it’s installed.

You wouldn’t want to send it to them for repair anyway. I replace non touchscreen laptop screens for well under $100. It’s usually ~$30 for an aftermarket part, and I charge $35-40 for labor. HP will charge you probably 2x-3x that much or more.”

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