Copyright exemption allows for the repair of McDonald's ice cream machines.
During the next three years, anyway.
The issues with McDonald's ice cream machines, which often malfunction, may soon be resolved. This is because the U.S. Copyright Office has granted an exemption allowing third parties to diagnose and repair commercial equipment, including those that make the popular McFlurries.
With this new regulation, franchise owners will be able to bypass the digital restrictions that have hindered maintenance of these machines for years. According to the Copyright Office, the exemption will allow individuals to perform diagnostics, maintenance, and repairs on "retail commercial food preparation equipment." The notoriety of the failures in these machines has led to the development of a tool to track broken units.
This decision falls within the final rule of the Copyright Office that grants exemptions to Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). This exemption-granting process occurs every three years to prevent the DMCA from negatively affecting those trying to use copyrighted material.
The relationship between copyright law and McDonald's ice cream machines arises from the fact that the legislation prevents any entity other than the manufacturer, Taylor, from bypassing software locks. Last year, iFixit conducted a thorough examination of the equipment and partnered with Public Knowledge to request an exemption, which received support from the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice.
Although the Copyright Office's decision does not fully cover Public Knowledge and iFixit's request for a broader exemption related to other commercial and industrial equipment, at least it will address the problem of malfunctions in McDonald's ice cream machines. "This victory is more than just a win; the exemption for retail commercial food preparation equipment will encourage repair activity by third parties and allow businesses to better serve their customers," said Meredith Rose, senior policy advisor at Public Knowledge.
The new exemption will take effect on October 28 and may provide relief for customers hoping to order a McFlurry at McDonald's drive-thru.