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US Carriers Said To Have Rejected Kill Switch Technology Last Year
alphadogg writes "U.S. cellphone carriers were offered a technology last year that supporters say would dramatically cut incidents of smartphone theft, but the carriers turned it down, according to sources with knowledge of the proposal. The so-called 'kill-switch' software allows consumers to remotely wipe and render their phones useless if stolen. Law enforcement and politicians believe the incentive for stealing a smartphone or tablet would be greatly reduced if the technology became standard, because the devices could quickly be rendered useless. A proposal by Samsung to the five largest U.S. carriers would have made the LoJack software, developed by Canada's Absolute Software, a standard component on many of its Android phones in the U.S. The proposal followed pressure from the offices of the San Francisco District Attorney and the New York Attorney General for the industry to do more to prevent phone theft."
I like how every time a new piece of technology comes up with integration into devices we have (phones, cars, toasters), the immediate response on /. is always "But what about the hackers!" as if there's a group of malicious hackers just waiting for the technology to appear so they could exploit it. There are plenty of vulnerable technologies out today (SCADA systems for one) but hackers aren't so interested in disrupting these systems because they're pure evil. Most systems get hacked because there's some profit to be made out of it or someone is trying to put a message out there. While beeping people's car horns or shutting off their cell phones might send A message, it's not sending a useful one, and unless T-Mobil or HTC is doing the hacking, there isn't a profit to be made from it.
Yes youre right we should never evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of anything or think very much about any new development or ever question if something we want to do on a wide scale is actually worthwhile.
Hey everybody! Ksevio doesn't like it when we think about this so cut that out willya?
Nevermind the irony that by saying this, you are finding the exact kind of fault that you are complaining about other people doing. That is what is wrong with too many slashtards today, no sense of irony. "It's different when I do it!" Sure thing.