California leaders push for smartphone kill switch

[jsr]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/california-leaders-outline-kill-switch-bill

California leaders push for smartphone kill switch
By TERRY COLLINS
Feb. 7, 2014 6:03 PM EST

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Legislation unveiled Friday in California would require smartphones and other mobile devices to have a "kill switch" to render them inoperable if lost or stolen — a move that could be the first of its kind in the country.

State Sen. Mark Leno, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and other elected and law enforcement officials said the bill, if passed, would require mobile devices sold in or shipped to California to have the anti-theft devices starting next year.

Leno, a San Francisco Democrat, and Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley co-authored the bill to be introduced this spring. They joined Gascon, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and other authorities who have been demanding that manufacturers create kill switches to combat surging smartphone theft across the country.

Leno called on the wireless industry to step up as smartphone robberies have surged to an all-time high in California.

[Iggo]

1. And who would control this kill-switch?

[FreeState]

2. Hopefully the owner of the phone

Thats how its currently done with the iPhone (it has to be activated with your password and Apple ID every time its wiped, tied to an account only your password and email address can change).

[L0oniX]

3. They can be bricked right now.

[JimDandy]

4. A kill switch? If anyone other than the owner of the device

can use the "kill switch" to render it inoperable, then this bill should be killed.