Google and Microsoft joins Apply in adding “kill switches” to their smartphones as part of an agreement with 100 elected leaders and police agencies, called “Secure Our Smartphones Initiative”.
Now, whenever the government wants to it can simply turn your phone off. Of course, this is done all in the name of security.
We already know DHS has an ‘internet kill switch’, as a federal court ruled last year that DHS must disclose their protocol for its use.
This will make organized protests more difficult.
And patriots, when it hits the fan in this country and you want to organize, you’re going to have to do so without your cell phones and without the internet.
They could obviously kill the cell towers if they wanted, but it would surely be preferable to just kill certain phones so law enforcement isn’t hindered.
Got your ham radio yet? Keep your older phones!
The report said Google Android and Microsoft Windows Phone would add the feature — enabling a user to deactivate a stolen handset — after Apple included this last year.
Google and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“The commitments of Google and Microsoft are giant steps toward consumer safety and the statistics released today illustrate the stunning effectiveness of kill switches,” said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
“In just one year, the Secure Our Smartphones Initiative has made tremendous strides towards curtailing the alarming trend of violent smartphone theft. We will continue the fight to ensure that companies put consumers’ safety first and work toward ending the epidemic of smartphone theft. “
The report noted that preliminary data following Apple’s adoption of its “activation lock” feature found that in the first five months of 2014, theft of Apple devices fell by 17 percent in New York, while thefts of Samsung products increased by 51 percent from the same period in the previous year.
In the six months after Apple introduced the feature, iPhone thefts fell 24 percent in London and robberies fell 38 percent in San Francisco, while thefts of other popular mobile devices increased, the report said.
The report cited studies that showed 3.1 million mobile devices were stolen in 2013 — nearly double the levels of 2012, and one in three Europeans experienced the theft or loss of a mobile device last year.
In 2013, a mobile device played a role in roughly half of all robberies in New York City, San Francisco and London, the report said.
Source: news.yahoo.com
Photo: AFP Photo/Fred Dufour
Wtf?
It is Butch but where have you been they don’t follow the constitution any more.
Sounds like they’re sbout too give people a reason! That’s not good but tell me what idiot involved in a possible revolt would pack any cell phone dumb or smart? Duuhhh! I think their parinoid! Most realise Facebook is more Jerry Springer than all else anyway and play wth c**p resd on it! Glad when November gets here and hopefully all subsides!
HAM, Radio…
What does the ability of our govt to turn off our phones have to do with getting the phones stolen from us? What “logical” rationale would the govt have to get this activated? Anyway to deactivate the function?
Perhaps they would like too pay our phone bills in the meantime then, ya think?
Hello, Now the government can shut you down any time they dam will want to ! another freedom gone to hell !!
why do you think that google facebook Microsoft yahoo all these programs where made too spy on people and help the law too do there jobs because the law are too stupid too figure it out for them selfs and now there set up with high tec soft ware too make there jobs easier
another problem is people don’t know enough too mind there own business
Who cares! The entire US revolution was organized without cell phones!