Summary
Smartphone thefts are a growing financial and – in some cases – violent crime. In 2013, smartphone thefts nationally doubled to 3.1 million. In San Francisco some thieves used weapons and physical force to take a phone. In response to this trend, Chapter 275 requires smartphone manufacturers to install a security feature that allows the phone’s owner to disable the essential features of the device if it is stolen or lost to prevent the theft of personal information on the phone. Manufacturers opposed the bill because of its potential to lead to over-regulation. Senator Mark Leno introduced Chapter 275, which imposes civil penalties for non-compliance.
