SF Supervisor London Breed, in vast overreach because she knows what is best for us, wants all smartphones sold in Principality of San Francisco have kill switches installed. Apparently she doesn’t know that many smartphones already have them or that perhaps this is a choice that should be left to the consumer. Does she really think that manufacturers will make a special SF-version of their phones? Or that residents won’t simply drive a few miles to get a non-Mommy-State-approved smartphone?
What kill switches can certainly be useful, the decision should be up to the owner and and laws should be at the national level. Also, if I may indulge in a bit of Tin Foil Hattery, who gets to control how and when smartphones can disabled? Certainly law enforcement might be quite interested in being able to kill all smartphones in an area should, say, a protest get too militant.
Some of the comments to the article.
So what happens when Obama decides to kill everyone’s phone?
—
It’s ridiculous to think cell phone makers will create San Francisco-specific phones. If this needs to be addressed with legislation at all, this is absolutely the wrong level of government at which to address it.
—
All legislation from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors should come with a kill switch.
—
This is a serious public safety issue,” Breed said. “I have witnessed cell phone theft myself, and victims are left helpless or injured.Then, why not get on the shall issue CCW bandwagon?