— HP is receiving backlash after users reported that their non-brand ink cartridges stopped working following recent firmware updates. HP has justified its updates, saying it implements “dynamic security measures” to ensure that the printer can actively connect to the security chips or electronic circuitry used in the ink cartridges. Customers complain as affordable ink cartridges that were perfectly good on one day, become useless the next. HP has been involved in numerous class-action lawsuits in the U.S., Italy, and Australia over its tactics. The U.S. lawsuit was filed in 2020 and claimed the firmware update was used to “block customers from using third-party ink and toner cartridges and force them to buy more expensive HP-branded supplies. HP says its printers are designed to work with original HP ink and toner cartridges. HP says that it is standard protocol in the printing business to “authenticate cartridges. HP says they use Dynamic Security measures to protect the quality of our customer experience, maintain the integrity of its printing systems, and protect their intellectual property.