Mobile Phone Repair as a Strategy for Reducing E-Waste, Enhancing Data Privacy, and Promoting Digital Sustainability in the United States

The prompt growth of smartphone use in the United States has strengthened concerns regarding electronic waste (e-waste), data privacy, and digital sustainability. Mobile phones are replaced frequently, often before the end of their functional life, thereby increasing waste generation and resource consumption. In this context, mobile phone repair has emerged as a strategically important practice for extending device lifespan, reducing e-waste, protecting user data, and promoting circular-economy principles. This study examines the strategic role of mobile phone repair in reducing e-waste, enhancing data privacy, and promoting digital sustainability in the United States. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a survey of 300 mobile phone users across the United States with semi-structured interviews with repair professionals and industry experts. Regression and correlation analyses were used to examine the relationships among repair frequency, e-waste reduction, data privacy awareness, and support for digital sustainability. The findings reveal that mobile phone repair significantly reduces e- waste (B = 0.38, p < 0.001), enhances data privacy awareness and secure repair behavior (B = 0.24, p < 0.001), and promotes digital sustainability by supporting circular economy practices (B = 0.29, p < 0.001). These results highlight the national importance of strengthening the U.S. repair ecosystem as a pathway toward more sustainable and secure digital consumption. The study further suggests that right-to-repair policies, standardized data-erasure practices, and consumer awareness initiatives could enhance the environmental and social value of repair services in the United States. Overall, the study demonstrates that mobile phone repair is not merely a technical service but a strategic sustainability mechanism with significant implications for environmental protection, consumer privacy, and national digital resilience.