Senator Klobuchar wants to mandate a "Kill Switch" in all Mobile Phones

[geforceftw]

http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20140125/22372025987/really-bad-idea-senator-klobuchar-wants-to-mandate-kill-switch-all-mobile-phones.shtml

 

This would be to combat stolen phones or lost phones rendering them somewhat useless.In the article they say that this could be abused but she says that its with the best intentions.

 

Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? personally i think this is a bad/good idea because if it gets abused... well thats whats bad about it

[geforceftw]

Also if this is a repost i looked and didnt find it.

[astroman]

I dun want my phone to kill me

[flibberdipper]

It's an okay idea. I'd rather have a blow up button.

[Sors]

It's with the best intentions, but it will end up being abused as everything the government have control of.

[Ashley]

It's with the best intentions, but it will end up being abused as everything the government have control of.

This made my eyes roll so hard they popped out.

 

Anyway, shes my representative interestingly enough. I feel like this is a good idea so long as the terminology is right. If a carrier can kill switch your phone if you say, took it to a different carrier (if that phone was unlocked for example), that would be bad.

This should be something that the customer asks the company to do and that's it. If that's how it's written into law that would be great.

[AlexGoesHigh]

isn't this the reason IMEI was created?

[Imaginaerum]

Of course a name that translates to Hatter wants to implement a kill switch. Maybe she's been sniffing glue.

[bob345]

we need people in office in the us to actually understand technology. To many people in our government probably don't even know how to properly use a computer.

[Yoinkerman]

Everyone and their dog knows that will never be how it is written.  Especially once SOPA or similar laws get pushed through and completely warrantless direct tapping is allowed by request only with nothing backing.

 

This made my eyes roll so hard they popped out.

 

Anyway, shes my representative interestingly enough. I feel like this is a good idea so long as the terminology is right. If a carrier can kill switch your phone if you say, took it to a different carrier (if that phone was unlocked for example), that would be bad.

This should be something that the customer asks the company to do and that's it. If that's how it's written into law that would be great.

[Kamil]

If anybody was wondering, there's an app for that. I don't see why "everybody must have this on their phone!" if they already CAN have this on their phone if they want it.

[Kamina]

Apple killing the switch every year.

 

Oh, and bad idea. We're responsible for our own items. Sorry, gumblement. 

[zip2k4]

If anybody was wondering, there's an app for that. I don't see why "everybody must have this on their phone!" if they already CAN have this on their phone if they want it.

 

isn't that the thing we're talking about here? the fact that she wanted it to be mandatory?

 

if that happens, then there's no "opt-out" button, but then again buying a phone from overseas would kinda fixes the problem until they figured out another way to

control phones from outside as well.

[Chatzev]

Let's say this passes. Let's say the government has become even more controlling, or perhaps there is a revolution like the one in Ukraine. If it isn't going the government's way, they could just pop everyone's phones and stop them from communicating. Its actually kinda scary. 

[Murdoch]

we need people in office in the us to actually understand technology. To many people in our government probably don't even know how to properly use a computer.

 

Exactly this. People in Government are completely clueless about technology, hell our Prime Minister reportedly called out an electrician because he didn't know how to flick a trip switch (or locate his fuse box). More often than not politicians pass legislation specifically pertaining to technology, which caters for corporate (or worse) agendas, with little to no realisation of how anything works, how it would be implemented, or how it could be misused. Furthermore, the political process lags far behind the advancement of technology, to the extent where they are in a constant state of playing catch-up while continuing to lag further and further behind. Which of course gives rise to political headaches like the NSA / GCHQ mass surveillance debacle, where here in the UK at least, the legislation covering such activities is over 10 years old (pre-smartphone) and can largely be circumvented, because it's simply not fit for purpose. There are countless examples of 'Bills' like this, that may actually have the best of intentions, but only end up emphasising the point that not only are politicians clueless about tech, but the general population (for the most part) are completely clueless too.

[ThePointblank]

*Ahem* Blackberry Protect *Cough*

 

 

I can already do it with my phone.

[Jvagle875]

This made my eyes roll so hard they popped out.

 

Anyway, shes my representative interestingly enough. I feel like this is a good idea so long as the terminology is right. If a carrier can kill switch your phone if you say, took it to a different carrier (if that phone was unlocked for example), that would be bad.

This should be something that the customer asks the company to do and that's it. If that's how it's written into law that would be great.

Another Minnesotan I see. 

 

I'm not really a huge fan. Idea is great if say... I had control over it. Or the account owner or whatever. But not a fan anyone else having control though.

[simson0606]

isn't this basically what find my iphone does in ios 7?

 

you cannot reset the device unless you use the apple id of the previous owner.

[applebook]

I'm sure that airplanes would love to welcome hundreds of passengers with explosive phones and tablets! 

 

The easiest way to guard against theft of your phone is to keep it in your pocket when not in your hand

[Yoinkerman]

There's a big difference between that and the government being able to shut down your phone because you happen to be in a designated "trouble" area, which is what they want. I hope you understand the gravity of that.

*Ahem* Blackberry Protect *Cough*

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I can already do it with my phone.