Gov. Jerry Brown of California has signed a new law that requires a "kill switch" function on all phones sold in the state.
The new law, which goes into effect on July 1 next year, mandates an anti-theft feature on mobile devices that would allow users to disable a phone once it is stolen or lost. Proponents of the technology claim that the new law would serve a deterrent for thieves because phones can be rendered useless by their owners, thereby reducing its resale value.
"Getting mugged or robbed just because you have your cell phone in your hand is soon to be a thing of the past," state assembly member Nancy Skinner, one of the authors of the bill, said in a press release. "The Governor signing SB (Senate Bill) 962, the kill switch bill, is a victory for consumer safety."
According to data from Consumer Reports, the number of crimes that involved smartphones almost doubled in 2013. The total number of stolen devices grew from 1.6 million phones in 2012 to 3.1 million the following year. According to a study from Creighton University, the wide adoption of a kill switch feature would not only have benefits in terms of public safety, it would also bring cost savings to consumers. Researchers claim that the function can produce as much as $3 billion in savings for consumers.
California has not been shielded from the problem. The legislation, which was introduced by state Sen. Mark Leno last February, aims to curb what state officials have characterized as an "epidemic." In San Francisco, the area that Leno represents, about half of property crimes involved a smartphone. In Oakland, the problem is more widespread, with 60 percent of robberies or theft involving a mobile device.
"The Governor made a smart move on smartphones today by signing the 'Kill Switch' public safety and consumer protection bill," Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb, who was robbed at gunpoint for his phone in October of 2012, said in a press release. "This has been one of my top priorities and I am grateful for Governor Brown signing this into law so we can deter and reduce the violent armed and strong-arm robberies that afflict Oakland and our entire state."
California is following in the legislative footsteps of Minnesota. Last May, it became the first state to mandate a kill switch feature in smartphones.
