HP printers have come under numerous attacks both in the past and recently due to invasive firmware updates that prevented customers from using ink on their printers. HP also encourages printer users to subscribe to HP+, a program that includes a free trial ink subscription and non-removable firmware that allows HP to block ink at will.
However, HP sells dozens of its printers with Dynamic Security and optional HP+ features on the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) registry, indicating that these printers are built with the environment in mind and, in particular, do not jam cartridges. Given dynamic security and the fact that HP+ printers do just that, the International Imaging Technology Committee (IITC) requires the General Electronics Committee (GEC), which is responsible for EPEAT registration, to recall at least 101 HP printer models from EPEAT registration. , which HP “made a mockery of”.
Before we discuss IITC’s complaint to GEC Senior Manager Katherine Laroque on May 22, we should note the obvious interest of IITC in this regard. Founded in 2000, the non-profit trade association claims to represent “toner and ink cartridge manufacturers, component suppliers, and cartridge assemblers in North America.” Therefore, its participants can lose a lot of money due to strategies such as dynamic security. IITC already complained to GEC in 2019 that HP’s firmware was blocking third-party inks, but there didn’t seem to be any noticeable results.
The group is biased on this topic, but its complaint nonetheless reflects many of the issues and concerns detailed in consumer and class action lawsuits regarding HP’s exclusivity in printer ink. You can find the full complaint here.
For a printer to be registered with EPEAT, it must comply with the EPEAT Imaging Equipment Category Standard, which is based on the IEEE 1680.2-2012 Environmental Assessment Standard for Imaging Equipment (PDF). The IITC relies on section 4.9.2.1, which requires that registered products not “protect against the use of third party ink cartridges and containers” and that the vendor provide documentation that the device “is not designed to protect against the use of third party ink cartridges or containers”.
Well, as IITC and consumers who find ink jams halfway through printing will tell you, this is very similar to what HP does with its dynamic security printers.
The IITC complaint goes a little further and states that “In the last 8 weeks alone, HP has released 4 killer firmware updates to dozens of EPEAT registered inkjet printers.”
“At least one of these recent updates only affected one manufacturer of remanufactured ink cartridges and did not affect non-remanufactured third-party ink cartridges that use functionally identical non-HP chips,” the complaint states.
The trade group also claims that there have been at least 26 “killer firmware updates” on HP’s EPEAT-listed laser printers since October 2020.
The complaint alleges that the error message seen by users was: “The specified ink cartridges have been locked by the printer firmware because they contain a third party chip. This printer will only work with new or reused ink cartridges that have a chip. replace the indicated ink cartridge to continue printing” violates EPEAT requirements, but HP sells dozens of dynamic security printers with the EPEAT ecolabel.
The IITC complaint points to a number of places where HP claims that EPEAT is registered but appears to be in conflict with the terms of the registration.
For example, the company shared an EPEAT document (PDF) stating: “HP printers are not designed to be protected against the use of third-party cartridges and containers.” The printer is designed to use only ink cartridges with new or used HP chips or electronic circuits. The printer uses dynamic security measures to block ink cartridges with third-party chips or modified electronic circuits or third-party electronic circuits.
“Maybe HP’s stance is that 4.9.2.1 allows it to block any third party cartridges that don’t use an HP chip. Whether HP cites “security concerns” or some other justification, 4.9.2.1 has no such leeway. … The wording of 4.9.2.1 is clear and unconditional,” the IITC complaint says.
Dynamic Security printers receive regular firmware updates that HP says “may enhance, enhance or enhance printer functionality and functionality, protect against security threats, and for other purposes” and “prevent the use of third-party chips or circuitry, including including cartridges that work today.” Sometimes these cartridges are over 90% full, according to IITC, he doesn’t see where the “security” in “dynamic security” comes from:
In fact, Dynamic Security has nothing to do with security, only that frustrated consumers choose third-party cartridges to increase sales of original HP cartridges.
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Post time: Jun-15-2023