Two Californian officials have reportedly announced plans to introduce a bill that would require smartphones to have a ‘kill switch’ in case devices are stolen or lost to make them inoperable.
State Sen. Mark Leno and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon said that the bill would be formally introduced in January at the start of the 2014 legislative session.
Sen. Leno said that smartphone theft is common on California streets and the crimes are becoming increasingly violent, Fox News reports.
He added that built-in anti-theft feature could deter thieves and help curb violent snatchers.
According to the report, Samsung had also proposed installing a similar switch in its devices, but the idea was rejected by the nation’s biggest carriers citing a kill switch could allow hackers to disable someone’s phone. (ANI)