California Could Require a 'Kill Switch' for Every Smartphone

Beginning in 2015, all smartphones and tablets sold in California could be required to have a remote "kill switch," if legislation that was introduced Friday passes.

The bill, proposed by California State Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), is aimed at curbing the rising tide of smartphone thefts and the violence often associated with those crimes.

If the legislation passes, California would be the first state to require manufacturers to include such stringent theft prevention measures. Under the proposed regulations, the penalty for selling devices without kill switches would be fines between $500 - $2,500 per device Read more...