Legislators Push to Make Companies Tell Customers When Their Products Will Die | WIREDSkip to main contentMenuSECURITYPOLITICSTHE BIG STORYBUSINESSSCIENCECULTUREREVIEWSMenuAccountAccountNewslettersBest Office ChairsBone Conduction HeadphonesBest Digital NotebooksSmart Plug GuideStreaming DealsDeals DeliveredSecurityPoliticsThe Big StoryBusinessScienceCultureReviewsChevronMoreExpandThe Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED ConsultingNewslettersPodcastsVideoMerchSearchSearchSign InSign InBoone AshworthGearJan 22, 2026 5:04 PMLegislators Push to Make Companies Tell Customers When Their Products Will DieA pair of bills in Massachusetts would require manufacturers to tell consumers when their connected gadgets are going dark. It should be a boon for cybersecurity as connected devices grow obselete.Smart devices like robot vacuums connect to the internet, making them vulnerable to malware once the manufacturer ends support.Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyOn Tuesday, two Massachusetts lawmakers introduced two bills to the state’s House and Senate that, if passed, would create a state law requiring companies to tell customers when service on their connected products will end. It is an effort meant to tamp down on cybersecurity risks and also boost consumer protections. With knowledge about future support, consumers can confidently buy a device knowing how long they can expect it to reliably work, and when to plan for its eventual obsolescence.The pieces of proposed legislation, collectively named An Act Relative to Consumer Connected Devices, were introduced by Massachusetts state senator William Brownsberger and state representative David Rogers in their respective chambers.“Our daily lives have become intertwined with smart devices,” Rogers says in a statement emailed to WIRED. “Once a company decides it will no longer provide software updates for those devices, they become ticking time bombs for hackers to exploit. We must ensure consumers are given the tools to understand their devices and the risks, before they purchase them.”State senator Brownsberger's office has acknowledged our request for comment but he has not yet responded.The bills arrive nearly a year after a joint report by the advocacy groups Consumer Reports, US PIRG, and the nonprofit Secure Resilient Future Foundation that encouraged lawmakers to support policy that would inform customers when their connected products were going to stop working. That includes a broad array of smart home devices, like Wi-Fi routers, security cameras, connected thermostats, and smart lights. While it is a proposed state law for now, supporters hope it will inspire more legislation like it in the near future.“Almost everybody has a story about some device that they love that suddenly stopped working the way they thought it would or has just straight up died,” says Stacey Higginbotham, a policy fellow at Consumer Reports. “Your product is now connected to a manufacturer by this software tether that dictates how it's going to perform.”The laws in the Massachusetts acts, if eventually passed, would require manufacturers to clearly disclose on product packaging and online how long they will provide software and security updates for a device. Manufacturers would also need to notify customers when their device is approaching the end of its service life and inform them about features that will be lost and potential security vulnerabilities that may arise when regular support ends. Once a device stops getting regular updates, it’s more prone to cyberattacks and becoming a vector for malware.“This is an issue that is becoming more and more pronounced as the internet of things ages,” says Paul Roberts, president of the SRFF and a resident of Massachusetts who worked with the lawmakers. “This is inevitable. We can't just leave them out there connected and unpatched.”Wi-Fi has been commonplace in the home and the office for over two decades, meaning there is a rapidly growing population of old devices still connected to the internet that likely haven’t received security updates in years. These zombie gadgets—routers, sensors, connected appliances, home security cameras—have been left vulnerable to attack by their unsuspecting owners.“We’re trying to reduce the attack surface,” Higginbotham says. “We cannot prevent it, but we do want to give consumers the awareness that they could be hosting something. Basically, they have an open door that can no longer be locked.”The bills’ focus on cybersecurity also has the benefit of catching the eye of people who might worry about that kind of thing—like US legislators.“I’m hoping legislators are able to pretty easily wrap their arms around this and understand the problem here,” Roberts says. “And get behind the solution.”These bills rub elbows with similar legislation intended to give people more control over the stuff they buy. One example is the Repair Act in the US House, a bill that would require automakers to share data and information about their vehicles with owners and repair shops. In New York, the Connected Consumer Product End of Life Disclosure Act was introduced by New York state senator Patricia Fahy and is currently in committee. None of them are guaranteed to succeed.Like these other bills, the Massachusetts bill is several hearings, language changes, and votes away from being enacted into law. But the goal is to keep putting legislation out there at the state and federal levels until something sticks more broadly and affects products in more than just one state.“This is clearly an area where we need guardrails and guidelines for device makers and for consumers, to protect them and to support their privacy,” Roberts says. “We cannot allow corporations to be able to privatize the profit and socialize the risk.”CommentsBack to topTriangleYou Might Also LikeIn your inbox: WIRED's most ambitious, future-defining storiesDoes the “war on protein” exist?Big Story: China’s renewable energy revolution might save the worldThe race to build the DeepSeek of Europe is onWatch our livestream replay: Welcome to the Chinese centuryBoone Ashworth is a staff writer on the WIRED Gear desk, where he writes about connected hardware, sustainability, and the right to repair. He graduated from San Francisco State University and still lives in the city. 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The Massachusetts legislature is considering a novel approach to consumer cybersecurity and device obsolescence: requiring manufacturers to explicitly communicate the end of service life for connected products. These bills, spearheaded by Senator William Brownsberger and Representative David Rogers, aim to address a growing concern—the rapid demise of smart devices due to a lack of ongoing software and security updates. The core argument rests on the fact that once a manufacturer stops providing support, devices become increasingly vulnerable to malware and cyberattacks, effectively transforming them into ticking time bombs for consumers. Currently, manufacturers often don't provide clear timelines for this shift, leaving consumers to discover a defunct or insecure device too late.

The proposed legislation, dubbed “An Act Relative to Consumer Connected Devices,” mandates that manufacturers disclose, on product packaging and online, how long they will continue to offer software and security updates. Furthermore, they must notify customers when their device’s service life is nearing its end, outlining the lost features and heightened security risks. This proactive disclosure seeks to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions, knowing precisely how long a device will remain operational and protected.

The impetus behind this legislation is driven by a confluence of factors. The proliferation of ‘smart’ devices—Wi-Fi routers, security cameras, thermostats, and more—has created a burgeoning internet of things. Many of these devices are left connected indefinitely, often without regular security updates, making them prime targets for malicious actors. The delay in transparency from manufacturers exacerbates this problem, leaving vulnerable consumers in the dark.

Supporters of the bills, including Consumer Reports, US PIRG, and the Secure Resilient Future Foundation, point to numerous anecdotal experiences of consumers finding their beloved smart devices suddenly failing or becoming insecure. This lack of information contributes to a growing sense of vulnerability and frustration. The bills aim to directly address this issue, offering a framework for manufacturers to be more transparent and responsible.

The legislative effort coincides with a broader trend toward consumer protection and product accountability. Similar proposals, such as the Repair Act in the US House, which would require automakers to share data with owners and repair shops, highlight a growing demand for greater control over purchased products. The Massachusetts initiative mirrors this sentiment, seeking to align with evolving expectations regarding product longevity and support.

However, the path to enactment is likely to be challenging. The bills will require navigating complex legislative processes, potential objections from manufacturers, and ultimately, a vote of the state legislature. The success hinges on garnering sufficient support and addressing concerns regarding potential costs and burdens on industry.

The impact of this legislation could be significant, particularly in the context of increasing cybersecurity threats. By promoting transparency and proactive communication, it could reduce the attack surface for vulnerable devices and encourage manufacturers to prioritize long-term support. Nevertheless, it will undoubtedly be one of many competing interests, and its ultimate outcome remains uncertain. The shift towards greater consumer awareness and demand for product accountability suggests that such proposals are likely to become more prevalent in the years to come.