Apple has patented a new technology that would allow governments to disable iPhones and other smartphones whenever they like, including during protests and police riots.
Known as U.S. Patent No. 8,254,902, the “Apparatus and methods for
changing one or more functional or operational aspects of a wireless
device, such as upon the occurrence of a certain event.”
Although Apple presents several friendly uses for the technology, such
as preventing students from using their smartphones to cheat on exams or
stopping people from taking photos inside a movie theater, or
preventing cell phones from ringing during funerals, there are some more
ominous uses, particularly when put in the hands of authoritarian
governments.
Among the uses Apple promotes for the new technology are “forcing
certain electronic devices to enter ‘sleep mode’ when entering a
sensitive area” and when “Covert police or government operations may
require complete ‘blackout’ conditions.” This means that police and
other government representatives could stop journalists and citizens
from photographing or filming examples of brutality or other illegal
activity.
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