Smartphone kill-switch bill passes California assembly

A bill requiring that all smartphones sold in California contain a “kill-switch” that allows users to disable them if stolen was approved by the California Assembly.

The California bill mandates that all smartphones contain software that will allow the user to remotely wipe the phone of personal data and lock it so it cannot be used unless an unlocking code is entered.

One of the amendments made to the bill in the assembly allows for phones that were introduced prior to 2015 “that cannot reasonably be reengineered” to continue to be sold past July 1, 2015. Proponents of the bill say that it will reduce smartphone theft because thieves are much less likely to steal phones if the handsets quickly become unusable.