California to be first US state to require kill switches on smartphones

California is set to become first US state to require "kill switches" on smartphones that would prompt consumers to activate the anti-theft technology under a bill passed by the state legislature yesterday, SF Gate reported.

The increasing number of smartphone thefts in California, had prompted state Democrat senator Mark Leno from San Francisco, to move the bill. He said consumers would have more control over their personal information in the event of loss or theft. With the anti-theft technology, often referred to as a "kill switch," the owner of a smartphone can remotely render it inoperable, which, according to law enforcement officials, would deter thieves who targeted the devices.

The bill, SB962, had proved to be one of the most high-profile and intensely lobbied ones in the legislature this year, but recent months, had seen many of its opponents soften up to the proposal, with major cell phone manufacturers such as Apple and Microsoft dropping their opposition.

According to Leno this was the first bill of its kind in the country.

Under the bill, beginning July 2015, consumers would be prompted during the initial set up of a new cell phone to enable the kill switch, and if a consumer chose to accept all default settings, the kill switch would automatically be enabled.

Leno said, the goal was to swiftly take the wind out of the sails of thieves who had made the theft of smartphones one of the most prevalent street crimes in California's biggest cities, Reuters reported.

Similar measures were being considered in a number of states including New York, Illinois and Rhode Island, with smartphone thefts continuing to rise nationwide.

Though the nation's first kill-switch mandate was considered by Minnesota in May, Leno's bill would go further, requiring manufacturers to notify consumers that the technology was available on their phones, according to his office.

The measure, would now go to Democratic governor Jerry Brown for his signature.

The law would also require wireless companies to confirm the user name and password affiliated with any phone that had been de-activated before it could be used again, an effort Leno said would reduce or eliminate its value on the black market.

California District Attorneys Association, California Police Chiefs Association and California Sheriffs Association had supported the bill.