California Law Now Requires All Smartphones to Have Built-In Kill Switches By July 2015

[Medic311]

Same reason you don't get turned into a thin red smear on your driver's seat now when someone taps the front bumper of your car.

Just because a solution to a problem exists means nothing if the company involved is too cheap to implement it. Even if that means the consumer is the victim.

History has shown over and over that most companies don't give a crap unless ordered to.

show me a device that NHTSA has invented and then required that automakers implement on their vehicles.

every safety device, whether active or passive, was invented by private industry and in order to pay for the R&D involved (millions of dollars at a minimum) they charge extra for it. example - Subaru's Eye Sight Camera which virtually eliminates rear end collisions. they charge an extra $2,000 for this feature. when the government steps in and makes it mandatory, it doesn't mean you are getting it for free. the automaker just increases the price of the car. so whether it's law or not, the fault always falls with the consumer who isn't willing to pay extra for whatever safety measure is being offered. so the government steps in and makes them. that's how it works

you went into an industry that my career is in so i suggest you go with another example to prove your point, otherwise you will drown in facts that i will throw at you.

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Activation lock came in ios7 this time last year, the figures I'm quoting are from this year

Find my iPhone came out in 2010....

 

[willmtaylor]

I doubt this law costs any substantial amount of money. The state won't pay for anything related to creating "kill switch" software, and enforcement is easy. This law will likely save a lot of money since less time is wasted at police stations because of theft reports and trying to catch smartphone thieves.

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What is so bad about this law? Nothing, it adds no burden to your life. It really makes it simpler to shop for smartphones since you won't have to worry about theft deterrence features being included.

However, it's already cost time and money: for the proposal, the debate, the drawing up, etc. it cost utilities, salaries, etc., and all at the expense of other, more important, legislation.

This was something that was already going to happen/was already happening, so to spend extra time and money on it was a waste.

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And this thread shows why we Europeans think of the majority of Americans as being... well... stupid.

Why is that, again? Bc the broad strokes with which you paint say more about the ignorance of the speaker than those of which he speaks.

 

[2010mini]

Why did they need a law when it was already a trend and would have happened anyway?

Links to prove this argument or I'm going to call BS.

cellular carriers right now make big $$$ right now from theft insurance so "kill switches" would cut deeply into that cash flow.

http://nypost.com/2013/11/20/service-providers-dont-want-anti-theft-cell-phone-kill-switch/

Not all legislation is evil.... hell the auto industry fought seat belt laws, anti-lock breaks laws....etc.

 

[willmtaylor]

Links to prove this argument or I'm going to call BS.

cellular carriers right now make big $$$ right now from theft insurance so "kill switches" would cut deeply into that cash flow.

http://nypost.com/2013/11/20/service-providers-dont-want-anti-theft-cell-phone-kill-switch/

Not all legislation is evil.... hell the auto industry fought seat belt laws, anti-lock breaks laws....etc.

I'm not saying anyone is(n't) "evil," but this link was embedded in the article itself: http://www.ctia.org/policy-initiati...es/smartphone-anti-theft-voluntary-commitment

 

[CelestialToys]

Find my iPhone came out in 2010....

As you obviously don't understand the difference between find my iphone and a kill switch I think you should do some research.

 

[ephemeralreason]

Because you are essentially transferring more of your freedoms to the Gubmint. The issue runs deeper than your surface comment. The State can essentially shutdown all phones in a State of Emergency. No communications, no twitter, no facebook, nothing. That's why so many are suspicious of the Gubmint.

How is an activation lock remotely close to "the State" (reification fallacy, by the way) being able to shut down communication? Paranoid much?

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This is excellent: the sort of statement that seems well thought out but contains not a single shred of empirical evidence. It's all generalizations and straw men fallacies.

In my case, it is not jealousy. California is an economic hellhole, and people (and companies) are migrating to warmer economic climates.

At this rate, California will need to declare bankruptcy within 10 years. I ask you, will California ask all Americans to pay for California's fiscal foolishness through higher taxes to support a bailout for California? I think you will, because California, California's Politicians, and the voters who elect them are fiscally inept and electorally weak of character. Or so it seems to anybody who can read a financial statement and see lopsided balance sheet for what it is.

So the mass-migration continues. And California's weak-kneed voters begin to flee to other states with low/no state taxes, bringing their fiscal ineptitude and voting habits with them.

I love California. I just fear what California is doing to itself, America, and the world, and I wish daily for somebody of real character to lead California away from the edge of financial and economic disaster.

As for the "law", why does it need to be a law? If it's a good idea, others will follow Apple's lead to implement it. Unless they fear a lawsuit from Apple. But that would be just crazy, like suing samsung for a shape or a sliding unlock graphic. Right?

 

[Dr. Weezil]

This has nothing to do with smartphone theft.

The state needs a way to turn off mobile phones, i.e., cameras, audio recorders, social media, and mobile internet connections, in the event the public tries to document and report on its illegal, immoral, and abhorrent activities, e.g., police intimidation, crime, abuse, military actions within the borders of the United States, public officials participating in corruption, etc.

 

[ephemeralreason]

Warning: Slippery Slope fallacies below.

Today it may not be the case but, imagine if they extend this to cover tablets and other mobile. Once the law is passed its easy to change. Removing one section (22761.B) changes the game entirely.




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As I explained in another response, yes the PUC can disable my phone service today, but this is a kill switch that disabled the entire device. My smart phone is a lot more than a phone. I am not wrong. You merely miss the point.[/QUOTE]

And you can turn that feature off.

 

[WissMAN]

My question is: "Or else what?" I wonder what is the penalty for non compliance?

The offending company cannot sell their product in California? I would think the backlash by consumers against the state would be loud and pointed.

This also sounds like something the state wants more than the citizens as the citizens are more than capable of raising such demands.

 

[phillipduran]

In Brazil burglars already ask for iCloud password, so they can disable this.

Now the theft of smartphones will start including taking you hostage until you give up your iCloud password and prove it works. Maybe through a little "convincing".

Unintended consequences.

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This has nothing to do with smartphone theft.

The state needs a way to turn off mobile phones, i.e., cameras, audio recorders, social media, and mobile internet connections, in the event the public tries to document and report on its illegal, immoral, and abhorrent activities, e.g., police intimidation, crime, abuse, military actions within the borders of the United States, public officials participating in corruption, etc.

Yes, pushing this legislation is a bit odd and people aren't screaming for it, the government is. This is about controlling you and your information.

You might trust a current administration or government with power and tools such as this? Can you trust the government you have in 20 or 30 years with this? Best not to grant power to the government. Keep it in the hands of the people.

 

[MrX8503]

As you obviously don't understand the difference between find my iphone and a kill switch I think you should do some research.

Activation Lock is enabled with Find my iPhone turned on. With activation lock the thief cannot use it on any carrier.

 

[0098386]

Hey, isn't this a good thing? I'd like to be able to kill my iPhone if it ever got stolen or lost.

Because you are essentially transferring more of your freedoms to the Gubmint. The issue runs deeper than your surface comment. The State can essentially shutdown all phones in a State of Emergency. No communications, no twitter, no facebook, nothing. That's why so many are suspicious of the Gubmint.

What's a Gubmint?

just one more reason to not live/go to/know anyone/do anything in california.

I don't get it, why's that?

 

[Zellio]

Now the theft of smartphones will start including taking you hostage until you give up your iCloud password and prove it works. Maybe through a little "convincing".

Unintended consequences.

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Yes, pushing this legislation is a bit odd and people aren't screaming for it, the government is. This is about controlling you and your information.

You might trust a current administration or government with power and tools such as this? Can you trust the government you have in 20 or 30 years with this? Best not to grant power to the government. Keep it in the hands of the people.

Well according to this topic, if you don't mindlessly trust your government like a good little slave, you must be a conservative idiot and the reason why foreign people hate you

You say you hate people who think this way, I counter argue and say Ben Franklin and company would hate YOU. But don't worry, every dictator the world has ever known would love the idea that you completely trust the government with bricking your phone at any time.

 

[derek4484]

How about people just learn to keep their eyes on their phone and they wont get stolen.

Certainly dont need nanny-state gov't mandating kill switches.

 

[Larry-Bloom]

Why did they need a law when it was already a trend and would have happened anyway?

Because a lot of compaies where not putting in a kill switch because they make a lot of money on replacement phone and/or insurance

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so instead of:

*gimme your phone or I'll shoot your face*

it's

*put your finger on the home button, goto settings, turn off find my iPhone then gimme your phone or I'll shoot your face*
*HURRY UP*
*too slow, *BANG**

Most phone are not stolen this way.. either they are stolen when the owner is distracted or grab and run

 

[C DM]

"The anti-theft tools must be installed during the phone's initial setup process, and it must be reversible so an authorized user can unlock the device if it is returned to their possession."

One or two days before this feature is hacked?

Yeah, because that happened with Activation Lock, rite?

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How about people just learn to keep their eyes on their phone and they wont get stolen.

Certainly dont need nanny-state gov't mandating kill switches.

Yeah, people should learn to keep their eyes on their cars too and that would somehow magically make them impossible to steal. That would totally work.

 

[Larry-Bloom]

People will still steal phones. They will take them apart and sell the screen and battery and any other useful parts.

There are several phone repair stores around here that charge $199-$299 for a screen replacement. They cost almost as much on eBay.

There's still a market for stolen phones.

While it has been shown it does reduce theft. I agree there will still be a demand... I looked up on iFixit and a iPhone 5s is worth $533 in parts and that does not include the back cover which you can buy through them

 

[CelestialToys]

Activation Lock is enabled with Find my iPhone turned on. With activation lock the thief cannot use it on any carrier.

Yes, I understand what both features are and do, the person I quoted obviously doesn't.

Find my iphone has been around for a while and is not a kill switch, activation lock came in ios7 last year and is a kill switch.

 

[XtraSmiley]

While it has been shown it does reduce theft. I agree there will still be a demand... I looked up on iFixit and a iPhone 5s is worth $533 in parts and that does not include the back cover which you can buy through them

Yeah, but I think most thefts will be reduced. This is a good thing, I'm really surprised there are pages of people complaining about this.

Oh wait, it's the internet. Cry on big man babies, cry on!

 

[roland.g]

I live in California.

Our Weather > your weather (wherever the hell you live).

Awesome. One less person to never to come to California. Thanks!

I actually did live in California for 3+ years. However we are talking about how California is a liberal state gone socialist. Not to mention it is part of the Reconquista.

But if you want to talk about weather, then again you are wrong, our weather > your weather. I live in Colorado. We have more sunshine than any other state, 300+ days per year. We have the Rocky Mountains with the best skiing, mountain biking, and people move here from all over for all that Colorado has to offer, including many that move here from California. So sad that we don't have mudslides, earthquakes, and smog, or that we have beautiful rivers instead of the empty concrete rivers that only get used to film movie chases.

 

[jamesryanbell]

I know I probably sound like a Doomsday Prepper when I say this, but the first thing I think of when I hear "killswitch" (and yes, I read the original post) is "Oh crap, we can't control the revolt....kill their phones so they can't communicate".

It feels like a governmental power-play to keep them safe.

 

[MrX8503]

Yes, I understand what both features are and do, the person I quoted obviously doesn't.

Find my iphone has been around for a while and is not a kill switch, activation lock came in ios7 last year and is a kill switch.

Although the poster was mistaken on when activation lock came out, a year is still a long time to enjoy a feature that is standard on all iOS7 devices.

Yes, pushing this legislation is a bit odd and people aren't screaming for it, the government is. This is about controlling you and your information.

You might trust a current administration or government with power and tools such as this? Can you trust the government you have in 20 or 30 years with this? Best not to grant power to the government. Keep it in the hands of the people.

I would be screaming for it, but I don't have to because I'm on iOS. Unless the gov is forcing you to use a kill switch, why do you think people don't have the power? I'd rather have the power to use a kill switch, then leave the power to carriers to make millions off of replacement devices. Carriers are against kill switches, or you didn't know?

 

[C DM]

This has nothing to do with smartphone theft.

The state needs a way to turn off mobile phones, i.e., cameras, audio recorders, social media, and mobile internet connections, in the event the public tries to document and report on its illegal, immoral, and abhorrent activities, e.g., police intimidation, crime, abuse, military actions within the borders of the United States, public officials participating in corruption, etc.

Now the theft of smartphones will start including taking you hostage until you give up your iCloud password and prove it works. Maybe through a little "convincing".

Unintended consequences.

----------



Yes, pushing this legislation is a bit odd and people aren't screaming for it, the government is. This is about controlling you and your information.

You might trust a current administration or government with power and tools such as this? Can you trust the government you have in 20 or 30 years with this? Best not to grant power to the government. Keep it in the hands of the people.

I know I probably sound like a Doomsday Prepper when I say this, but the first thing I think of when I hear "killswitch" (and yes, I read the original post) is "Oh crap, we can't control the revolt....kill their phones so they can't communicate".

It feels like a governmental power-play to keep them safe.

Because they can't do that just as simply already? People like to think up of some complex conspiracies while ignoring simple realities.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Let's not have a kill switch. I think things are fine the way they are. You can track down the thief and arrest them.

 

[C DM]

Let's not have a kill switch. I think things are fine the way they are. You can track down the thief and arrest them.

So we don't want Activation Lock that iOS provides? It's somehow better not to have it?