Ferguson fuels 'kill switch' debate | TheHill

Tech and civil liberties groups are pushing back on a California
"kill switch" bill that they warn could be used to silence protests like
the ones seen this week in Ferguson, Mo.

Critics say a California
bill passed on Monday contains a dangerous carve-out that could give
law enforcement the power to shut down cellphones during emergency
situations, possibly including public demonstrations.

The
California bill is aimed at curbing cellphone theft by requiring all
smartphones sold in the state — home to 37 million people — to come
equipped with a feature that allows users to remotely wipe their
personal data and make the devices inoperable.It requires that the “kill switches” be turned on by default, though a user can opt out of using the tool.

If
signed by Gov. Jerry Brown (D), the bill will add to the features that
some companies already offer to let users disable their phones if
stolen.

But the bill “is not explicit about who can activate such a switch,” the Electronic Frontier Foundation said in a June letter opposing the bill.

“And
more critically, the solution will be available for others to exploit
as well, including malicious actors or law enforcement.”

Ferguson fuels 'kill switch' debate | TheHill