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Lawmakers Aim to Require Smartphone Kill Switch

Dec 19, 2013, 10:44 AM by Eric M. Zeman

California Senator Mark Leno and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon plan to introduce legislation that will force smartphone makers and wireless network operators to add a kill switch to mobile devices. The bill, which will be formally introduced early next year, is a response to the carriers' reluctance to add a kill switch voluntarily. Carriers argue that kill switches could be used by hackers to disable phones, but lawmakers believe they could be used to protect people from prying thieves. Gascon worked with Samsung to add a kill switch to its smartphones, but carriers shot the idea down earlier this year. Gascon also believes that giving smartphone owners the ability to kill lost/stolen devices remotely will help reduce theft of the devices in the first place.

ABC News / Associated Press »

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AdersonCell

Dec 26, 2013, 11:18 AM

stupid is as stupid does...

Enter scorned lovers and of course the hackers....shutting down phones for no good reason. WHY when you can just CALL your provider and report it lost stolen and it becomes a BRICK!! OH I SEE an important persons daughter must have absent mindedly "lost" her iphone gold 5S...(translated to she sold it for $80 for meth and lied to daddy)...

msteven3

Dec 19, 2013, 12:55 PM

Already done

Does this guy not realize that this technology already exists? Apple gives iOS users the ability to find/lock/wipe their devices, and Android Device Manager does the same for Android.

Problem already solved.

T Bone

The mentality behind this legislation is that government knows best....sure, the technology already exists for those who want it, Apple, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone can all already do this, and it's optional, and the carriers have no control...
(continues)

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