PHILADELPHIA, PA — With Microsoft set to end automatic updates for Windows 10, Pennsylvania businesses, elected officials, and organizations have joined a nationwide call urging the tech giant to extend support. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) delivered a letter signed by dozens of state leaders, alongside 500 more nationwide, warning of major risks to consumers and the environment.
“The decision to cut off so many computers in Pennsylvania and around the world from support not only puts consumers in a bind — it’s disastrous for security and the environment,” said Kari Schmidt, an associate with PennPIRG.
As many as 400 million computers could be left vulnerable to hackers once Microsoft stops issuing security patches. While U.S. users face an immediate cutoff, Microsoft quietly extended one additional year of free updates to consumers in the European Economic Area, citing legal requirements there.
Local leaders stressed that the impact will hit schools, nonprofits, and households hardest. “My own personal devices still have plenty of life left in them hardware wise, yet are incompatible with Windows 11,” said Pastor Kyle of Pennsylvania Wesleyan. “I am not inclined to switch to 11 but to seek out alternatives to prevent my perfectly good machines from going to waste.”
Though Microsoft has introduced paid options for extended support, advocacy groups warn few consumers will opt in, leaving millions of devices exposed to security flaws. The campaign is part of a broader international effort pressing Microsoft to rethink its strategy and extend free protections for Windows 10 users.
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