A proposed bill could soon require phone buyers to present their personal ID prior to purchasing a new handset.
Jackie Speier, a California congresswoman, has proposed a new bill with the title "Closing the Pre-Paid Mobile Device Security Gap Act of 2016" that would require phone buyers to register using their personal ID before they are permitted to snag a new phone.
The proposed bill is aimed to specifically put a stop to the use of burner phones, which have been instruments in committing unlawful acts, such as terrorism.
A so-called burner phone is a low-cost handset that uses prepaid SIMs that can’t be traced to its user. When this phone is no longer needed, it is then disposed of.
The congresswoman, a Democrat, represents the 14th district which includes parts of San Francisco and San Mateo counties. She is convinced that by requiring consumers to present their ID before buying a phone, it would become more complicated for human traffickers, narcotics dealers and terrorists to communicate with one another and execute their planned attacks.
"This bill would close one of the most significant gaps in our ability to track and prevent acts of terror, drug trafficking, and modern-day slavery," the lawmaker said on March 23. "The 'burner phone' loophole is an egregious gap in our legal framework that allows actors like the 9/11 hijackers and the Times Square bomber to evade law enforcement while they plot to take innocent lives."
She went on to say that these burner phones were used by Paris attackers in carrying out the terrorist attack. People cannot afford to have these threats continue, she said, and it is time to permanently seal what is called the burner loophole.
If this bill becomes law, the same identification and record-keeping standards as the ones that are implemented on traditional contract mobile devices would be put into practice for prepaid mobile phones. This means that before buying a traditional contract-based handset, consumers would need to provide their basic information.
Under this proposed bill, H.R. 4886, prepaid phone retailers will be directed to gather basic ID information from the customer who is buying a phone at the time of purchase. They will then share the collected information with the cellular provider for the device. Such information will then be verified by means of debit card, credit card, Social Security number or driver's license number or other relevant information. The proposal now goes to committee for consideration and discussion.
Let us know in the comment section below if you think presenting personal ID when buying your new phone will be bothersome or if you believe it is worth it to stay safeguarded from terrorists.
