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    Back to Which Way, L.A.?

    Which Way, L.A.?

    Will the Smartphone 'Kill Switch' Get New Life in Sacramento?

    Three million smartphones were stolen last year nationwide. In Los Angeles alone, 3000 were taken away. Legislators in Sacramento are considering a new law to require a "kill switch," so you could disable your phone, making it useless to thieves. For the moment, iPhone owners have an alternative, an app called " Find My iPhone ."

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    By Warren Olney • May 10, 2014 • 1 min read

    Three million smartphones were stolen last year nationwide. In Los Angeles alone, 3000 were taken away. Legislators in Sacramento are considering a new law to require a "kill switch," so you could disable your phone, making it useless to thieves. For the moment, iPhone owners have an alternative, an app called "Find My iPhone." New York Times reporter Ian Lovett wrote about how that worked for Sarah Maguire in West Covina. Maybe that worked for Maguire, but law enforcement says chasing after your stolen cellphone can lead to unintended consequences.

    The full episode

    1 of 2
    Should California Require All Cellphones to Have a Kill Switch?
    1. 0:00Will the Smartphone 'Kill Switch' Get New Life in Sacramento?You’re reading this
    2. 14:58The New Climate Change Report and California Agriculture
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Mike Kessler

      freelance journalist

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Jenny Hamel

      KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Andrea Brody

      Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

    • KCRW placeholder

      Ian Lovett

      New York Times

    • KCRW placeholder

      Andrew Smith

      Los Angeles Police Department

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jessica Calefati

      San Jose Mercury News

      News

    The full episode

    1 of 2
    Should California Require All Cellphones to Have a Kill Switch?
    1. 0:00Will the Smartphone 'Kill Switch' Get New Life in Sacramento?You’re reading this
    2. 14:58The New Climate Change Report and California Agriculture
    Back to Which Way, L.A.?