Published on October 18, 2023, 8:07 pm
Image source: Fox News
TLDR: The UK government has requested Apple, Google, and Samsung to develop technology solutions to prevent smartphone thefts. Critics argue that these measures are unnecessary as companies already have security features in place. The proposal suggests making stolen phones worthless or difficult to unlock without the owner's permission, but it is unclear how this would change the current situation since Apple's iCloud lock feature already serves this purpose. Some view this move as a political strategy ahead of the next General Election, raising doubts about its effectiveness in addressing the issue at hand.
The UK government has come up with a rather interesting idea to combat smartphone thefts: asking Apple, Google, and Samsung to design technology solutions to prevent such crimes. This move has been met with skepticism, considering that these companies already have measures in place to address this issue.
The UK has been under scrutiny for its inability to address pressing concerns within the country, such as poverty and crumbling infrastructure. Critics argue that instead of tackling these genuine problems, the government is trying to appear tough by cracking down on technology issues it doesn’t fully understand.
London mayor Sadiq Khan and Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley have called for a meeting with tech giants like Apple, Google, and Samsung to discuss implementing measures to “design out” cellphone thefts. They argue that these thefts fuel violence and criminality in communities across the UK.
According to the Daily Mail, phone thefts in London alone have risen by 28% over the past year, with an average of 157 cellphones stolen each day. The proposal suggests that manufacturers should make stolen phones worthless or difficult to unlock without the owner’s permission.
However, it should be noted that Apple’s iCloud lock feature already serves this purpose. Unless forced or manipulated into unlocking their iPhones, owners cannot access their devices. Therefore, it remains unclear how the UK’s suggestion would change the current situation.
It is possible that what the UK truly wants is for companies to crack down on stolen phone components so that they become less valuable and harder to reuse. However, this contradicts previous demands made by the UK against proprietary components, which generate electronic waste when discarded.
Some observers view this move as mere political posturing ahead of the next General Election. With no set date yet but legally required before January 2025, there is speculation that such actions are aimed at gaining votes rather than effectively addressing the issue at hand.
Regardless of the motivations behind this proposal, it is clear that politicians often lack sufficient knowledge about technology and resort to regulating it without fully comprehending its intricacies. While meetings with tech vendors can inform them, it is important to distinguish between news and editorial content when discussing these matters.
In conclusion, the UK government’s call for tech companies to design solutions to prevent smartphone thefts has raised eyebrows. Critics argue that these measures are unnecessary since companies like Apple already have robust security features in place. It remains to be seen how this proposal will progress and if it will have any real impact on reducing cellphone thefts in the UK.
Original article posted by Fox News
