Public Media Accuse HP of Profiteering

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When asked what is going on, Tims replies, “I think I can answer that in a single word: profiteering. That’s not how HP describes it. Altruism is the excuse it prefers. It tells me the practice it calls ‘dynamic security’ is ‘to enhance the overall printing experience for our customers’.”

According to HP, “banning cartridges made by any other manufacturer increases printing quality and security protection.” Tims also notes HP’s customer support page states, “The purpose of dynamic security feature is to protect HP’s innovations and intellectual property.”

GOS of Boothby Pagnall, Lincolnshire, reports his HP printer is suddenly rejecting HP cartridges that are deemed out of date. “I never even realised there was such a thing as a ‘best before’ date on inks,” he writes.

Tims reports HP has quietly expanded the practice after agreeing to an out-of-court €1.35m compensation package for customers in four European countries who were left out of pocket after their cartridges were blocked without warning.

She also cites the case in 2020, where HP paid $1.5m after US customers brought a class action lawsuit claiming it had abused its security update system to disadvantage them. “Also in 2020, the Italian Competition and Markets Authority fined it €10m for introducing the restrictions without telling customers.”

You can read Tims’ full article here.