Senators Propose 'Kill Switch' Law to Curb Smartphone Theft

With smartphone theft on the rise, lawmakers have proposed a bill aimed at reducing the impetus for thieves.

If passed, the law would require manufacturers to install a "kill switch," or a mechanism to disable stolen phones. The law would not only protect sensitive personal data stored on the phone, but also ruin the device's resale value. A group of four senators, led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), introduced the bill on Thursday.

"Cell phone theft has become a big business for thieves looking to cash in on these devices and any valuable information they contain," Klobuchar said in a statement, "costing consumers more than $30 billion every year and endangering countless theft victims." Read more...