Lawmakers in California recently introduced legislation designed to require that smartphones sold in their community have an anti-theft "kill switch" that will make the device unusable if it is reported stolen. A group US Senators have introduced a bill that would make similar requirements for any phone sold in the US.
Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) have co-sponsored a bill that would require companies have a mechanism to wipe a smartphone and make it unusable in the event that it is stolen or the lost. The aim is to make it so thieves will be less likely to steal a phone because they cannot resell it. It's also designed to offer more privacy and security. Senator Blumenthal said:
"Consumers whose cell phones are lost or stolen should be able to remotely make the devices inoperable and delete personal information from them at a moment’s notice and at no extra cost. By requiring wireless carriers to install kill switch technology, this bill forces them to catch up with thieves whose thefts of cell phones cost consumers more than $30 billion a year."
The senators expect carriers to spearhead the kill switch initiative, but that's something already included in some smartphones. The Apple iPhone 5S includes an opt-in feature that can lock a stolen phone, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 includes firmware that can track a stolen device even if it is factory reset. Perhaps in a year or two, this will be available on all smartphones because of the law. And that's if this bill actually becomes a law, which isn't guaranteed since the carriers have a powerful lobby.
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