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California Rejects Phone "Kill Switch" Law

posted by Woods on Friday April 25 2014, @02:34PM   
from the my-favorite-kind-of-switch dept.

AnonTechie writes:

The California Senate on Thursday voted down a state measure that would require smarter anti-theft security on smartphones. The bill, introduced by State Senator Mark Leno and sponsored by George Gascon, San Francisco's district attorney, would have required a so-called kill switch which would render a smartphone useless after it was stolen on all smartphones sold in California. The proposal needed 21 votes to pass in the 40-member chamber. After debate on Thursday morning at the Capitol, in Sacramento, it fell two votes short of passing, with a final count of 19 to 17 in favor.

• Re:Tax Dollars Re:Tax Dollars (Score: 2) by urza9814 on Saturday April 26 2014, @01:56AM

  by urza9814 (3954) on Saturday April 26 2014, @01:56AM (#36456) Journal

  No, it doesn't exist. The desire is for the industry (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, etc...) to say "Okay, your phone is stolen, so it's blacklisted." They can do that, but gee golly gosh, they don't see the dollar signs in it so they don't bother. Meanwhile people are getting mugged for their phones. "I'm normally very pro-government but this is stupid, ridiculous, and redundant."

  I dunno about iPhones, but Android phones HAVE had this ability for several years. If you've got an Android phone, you can access it from android.com/DeviceManager

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• Re:Tax Dollars Re:Tax Dollars (Score: 2) by Tork on Saturday April 26 2014, @03:06AM

  by Tork (3914) on Saturday April 26 2014, @03:06AM (#36471)

  We're talking about two different things. This bill was about the carrier blocking that specific phone after it has been reported stolen, it has nothing to do with software on the phone.

  --
  🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈

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  • Re:Tax Dollars Re:Tax Dollars (Score: 2) by urza9814 on Tuesday April 29 2014, @08:04PM

    by urza9814 (3954) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @08:04PM (#37820) Journal

    So in other words, we're talking about implementing the same thing they've already implemented just with an extra middle-man this time?

    It's gonna take a minimum of a day for me to get it blocked through the carrier; but it only takes a few seconds for me to get it blocked myself. So what possible value could this add?

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    • Re:Tax Dollars (Score: 2) by Tork on Tuesday April 29 2014, @08:23PM

      by Tork (3914) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @08:23PM (#37827)

      "So in other words, we're talking about implementing the same thing they've already implemented just with an extra middle-man this time?
      
      Nope. "It's gonna take a minimum of a day for me to get it blocked through the carrier; but it only takes a few seconds for me to get it blocked myself. So what possible value could this add?"
      
      The phone would become a brick and have no resale value.. hence the need for ALL the carriers to get involved.

      --
      🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈

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    • Re:Tax Dollars (Score: 2) by Tork on Tuesday April 29 2014, @08:29PM

      by Tork (3914) on Tuesday April 29 2014, @08:29PM (#37830)

      I apologize for the bad formatting of my post. I'll resubmit it fixed:
      
      "So in other words, we're talking about implementing the same thing they've already implemented just with an extra middle-man this time?
      
      Nope.
      
      "It's gonna take a minimum of a day for me to get it blocked through the carrier; but it only takes a few seconds for me to get it blocked myself. So what possible value could this add?"
      
      The phone would become a brick and have no resale value.. hence the need for ALL the carriers to get involved.

      --
      🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈

      Parent