[victorhooi]

McDonalds is well within their rights to deny service to a customer (assuming it's not discrimination).

In fact I've seen them (and other restaurants) do this first hand.

A customer is being abusive, or giving the poor checkout person a hard time - if they get abusive or threatening, the manager will often intercede and tell them to leave the store.

Likewise, I used to work in a electronics store - if a customer is a being a jerk, you're well within rights to ask them to leave (politely). Obviously it's the nuclear option - but there's definitely precedent for it.

[pherq]

"Denying service" in those cases is not conducting any further sales/etc with them.

It's not remotely disabling things they've previously bought from you.

That's quite a different kettle of fish.

[Hydraulix989]

To be clear, the Garadget was _not_ remotely disabled (or bricked).

[sheldonhelms]

Here's a direct quote from the manufacturer to the customer:

"At this time your only option is to return Garadget to Amazon for refund. Your unit ID 210036...will be denied server connection."

How is that not being bricked?

[cgag]

You probably can't go to their house and pour water in their electronics and tell them they'll get a full refund if they ship it back to you.

[oneeyedpigeon]

Fine to deny future service, denying past service is the problem here.