Minnesota is now the first state to require smartphone kill switches

[Ashley]

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/259318961.html

 

As of June 1, 2015 smartphones sold in Minnesota will require special hardware or software that can disable the phone. This will remove all functionality except for 911 calls and it will prevent reactivation.

 

The law also bans retailers from paying cash for used devices.

 

How long until this is used as a denial of service attack? Is state-by-state regulation the right way to go about solving these problems? 

[Oshino Shinobu]

I don't really understand how this will work if it's just one place at a time. I don't think phone manufacturers will include a kill switch on every phone just for a single state, So I guess It'll have to be software. 

[Paralectic]

This is basicly a censorship, bad move.

[Fred Castellum]

Thats interesting, I want to see how it develops.

[terrytek]

Damn.  Why did they ban cash for phones? Why? WHYYY??????

[The_Evenger]

well, I sure am glad not be be in minnesota now!

[ZetZet]

[TacticlTwinkie]

The law states that it either has to be in hardware (unlikely, since it's only one state. The phone manufacturers likely wouldn't make a whole new version of all or most of their phones for such a relatively small market) or in software, via built in to the os, or available as a free downloadable app.

I think the free downloadable app is going to be the way this will be implemented, simply due to the ease of rolling the feature out to the masses. So you don't have to have it if you don't want it.

[Askew]

I'd just stop selling phones in Minnesota and let residents buy from out of state, fuck that noise just for one state.

[Mooshi]

Does Minnesota even contribute anything of usefulness to the rest of the USA or can we pretend they are crazies and kick them out of the union?

 

I'd just stop selling phones in Minnesota and let residents buy from out of state, fuck that noise just for one state.

 

Exactly.

 

This isn't a state like Texas or California that contributes a lot to the nation. I'd just as much tell the Minnesota governor to get lost and sell to the other 49 states. Once the revenue from that drops dramatically and citizens riot, this crap will end and be touted as a failed experiment.

[Ashley]

This is basicly a censorship, bad move.

How so?..

 

Damn.  Why did they ban cash for phones? Why? WHYYY??????

You can still get a check or electronic transfer.

[BrapYeah]

I think they are trying to lead by example, maybe if other states start to follow then phone manufacturers will build a hardware kill switch (kind of dumb considering you wouldn't be able to locate the phone). I really like the idea of not giving cash for used phones though, that means there WILL be a money trail when trying to track down a lost/stolen phone.

 

I like the measures they are taking, but the deciding factor will be how they are implemented.

[TopWargamer]

I'm sure this will spread to the rest of the States eventually, so whenever it reaches Florida, I'm going to start importing phones. I refuse to buy a phone or any device with this BS killswitch.

[Nineshadow]

Lol.I wonder if someone presses a button that activates that function on all phones...hmm.

[Sidiox]

It prevents reactivation aswell..... So when a hacker group breaks in, and they have broken in to many things, they can just shut down the entire mobile network basicly. Sounds a bit like Watch_dogs to me. Stupid move, too much risk.

[sof006]

I'm pretty sure if its an Android handset it'll be pretty easy for someone over at XDA to hack it out of the handset and prevent the kill switch from working.

[Imaginaerum]

Damn.  Why did they ban cash for phones? Why? WHYYY??????

To stop someone from stealing your phone then selling it immediately with no paper trail because they paid cash.

[bob345]

this law will fail hilariously if its only software haha.