Kill pill
In
Applications
Lost and stolen devices
Kill pill technology is used prominently in
Anti-piracy measure
Kill pill technology has been notably used as an
Removal of malicious software
The concept of a kill pill is also applied to the remote removal by a
Vehicles
Kill pill technology is used frequently in vehicles for a variety of reasons. Remote vehicle disablement can be used to prevent a vehicle from starting, to prevent it from moving, and to prevent the vehicle's continued operation. Non-remotely, vehicles can require driver recognition before starting or moving, such as asking for a password or some form of biometrics from the driver.[7]
Kill pill technology is often used by governments to prevent drunk driving by repeat offenders as a punishment and deterrent. The installation of an ignition interlock devices is a sentencing alternative for drunk drivers in almost all 50 of the United States. Such a device requires the driver to blow into a breathalyzer before starting the vehicle. If the driver is found to be over the legal blood alcohol content limit, the vehicle will not start[8]
Other uses
Kill pill technology can also be implemented to contextually disable certain aspects of a smartphone's functionality. A patent obtained by Apple claims the ability to disable the antenna, screen, or camera of a smartphone in settings like theaters, schools, and areas of high security sensitivity.[9]
Criticism
Kill pill technology has been criticized for allowing for the suppression of personal liberties. While a kill pill can be utilized in a school setting to prevent academic dishonesty, it has been suggested that governments may also use it to suppress their people, for example, by disabling a phone's camera or antenna in the area of a protest.[10]
The ability to remotely remove files and applications from a user's device has also come under fire. Apple's apparent ability to
See also
References
- ^ "iCloud - Find my iPhone". Apple Inc. Retrieved 12 February 2013. [failed verification]
- ^ Lightner, Rob. "5 ways to help find your lost Android device". CNET. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ "BlackBerry Protect". BlackBerry Inc. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ "Finding a lost phone". Microsoft Inc. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ "'Kill switch' dropped from Vista". BBC News. 4 December 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ^ Robertson, Jordan (16 February 2012). "The Kill Switch Comes to the PC". Businessweek. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ^ "Vehicle Disabling Systems". US Department of Transportation: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ^ Cordell, LaDoris (22 September 2009). "Baby, You Can't Drive Your Car". Slate. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ^ US patent 8254902, "Apparatus and methods for enforcement of policies upon a wireless device"
- ^ Whittaker, Zack (4 September 2012). "Apple's patent could remotely disable protesters' phone cameras". ZDNet. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- ^ Buchanan, Matt (6 August 2008). "Apple Can Remotely Disable Apps Installed on Your iPhone". Gizmodo. Retrieved 13 February 2013.