California introduces a smart way to combat phone theft vulnerabilities

[Commentary] California is now requiring phone makers to adopt technology that could curb cellphone theft. The rest of the country should, too.

California’s approach is particularly strong because it requires that the kill switch be primed and ready for activation when people buy their smartphones rather than relying on phone owners to set it up. That mandate will maximize the theft-deterrent value of the policy and save technologically ill-adept phone users a lot of trouble. The industry complains that it does not want to be required to comply with a patchwork of state security standards. We have an easy answer to that problem: Put in place a federal rule mirroring California’s that would apply everywhere.