kill switch

[ kil swich ]

noun

1. a button, switch, or other mechanism that allows a machine to be shut down immediately:

   Only use the kill switch in emergencies.

2. Digital Technology. a command deployed to remotely lock, disable, or wipe an electronic device, as when the device is lost or stolen.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kill switch¹

First recorded in 1950–60

Example Sentences

It would have forced developers to ensure their technology included a so-called "kill switch".

From BBC

A kill switch would allow organisations to isolate and effectively switch off AI systems if they were they became a threat.

From BBC

But it also shared a bit of a bombshell in its filing: The company said it had agreed to offer the U.S. government a kill switch that would shut off the app if it violates terms of a draft national security agreement.

From New York Times

To save Rocket, the Guardians must override a kill switch implanted inside him with a pass key that’s located on the Orgoscope, a bio-formed space station composed of bones, flesh and fat.

From Los Angeles Times

“Yes, it’s one of the things we have discussed with the organizer,” Fahmi said when asked if a ‘kill switch” to cut off power supply will be used.

From Washington Times