California Passes Kill Switch Legislation

This week, the California Senate passed SB962, requiring all smartphones sold in the state on or after July 2015 to have “kill switch” software baked into the operating system. The law is aimed at reducing smartphone thefts by making it possible for users to remotely wipe their phones — and all their digital data — remotely if need be.

If you’re an iPhone user like me, you’re probably wondering why this is a big deal — or even a deal at all. The “Find my iPhone” app has been around for years now, after all. But surprisingly, the sensible idea of being able to self-destruct your phone if it’s stolen has yet to reach all smartphone makers. Though most companies have publicly embraced the idea of a “kill switch” for their devices, they have yet to make it happen.

The California law, while state specific, sends a strong message to would-be thieves (coughRussian mobcough) that curtailing smartphone theft is a priority. That’s good news for consumers – and therefore the entire mobile ecosystem – and bad news for crooks. The bill awaits Governor Brown’s signature.

— Mike Montgomery

Coming up: Securing Cyberspace, a Stanford symposium

The Stanford Journal of Law hosts experts in business, law, and technology to delve into global cyberthreats and cybersecurity in its annual symposium.

“The Virtual Battlefield: Securing Cyberspace in a World Without Borders,” is the topic and it will kick off Thursday night with a keynote address by Hamadoun Touré, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, who presided over December’s controversial World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT).

Read the Full Article on Silicon Valley Business Journal

Navigating the Virtual Battlefield

For those who advocate for a free and open Internet governed by the multi-stakeholder approach, treaties proposed at the 2012 World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai were a potential disaster, giving countries greater power to limit the rights of their citizens. But the proposed treaties also highlighted another important issue, one that touches every nation regardless of its stance on free expression.

That issue is cybersecurity.

Read the full article from Mike Montgomery and James Wigginton on The Huffington Post