Electronics giant Samsung has "blocked" TVs stolen in South Africa during the unrest in July, rendering them unusable.
The company says it has an inbuilt “block function” on its TVs that can be used to disable the sets remotely.
The function is activated when a user of a stolen TV or one that has been acquired unlawfully connects to the internet, according to Samsung.
The system checks the identified TV’s serial number against the list on its servers before disabling its functionality.
South Africa had weeks of violent protests and looting last month that left more than 300 people dead, and property worth billions of rands ransacked.
Some of the reportedly popular items that were stolen were smart TVs.
The ability to remotely disable TV function has received some praise among online users for its potential use to deter crime, with some also noting its potential for abuse.
One person noted that Samsung was taking "electronic revenge" on looters of its TV sets, while another said it was more reason "never to connect a TV set to the internet".
Latest Stories
-
Climate expert cautions public against use of tainted glasses in residential buildings
1 minute -
Cedi appreciation driven by mixed domestic and global factors – Prof. Quartey
4 minutes -
Uphold human rights in migrant removals – CHRAJ urges authorities
5 minutes -
EU experts praise Ghana’s 2024 elections
6 minutes -
Ato Forson achieved in 4 months what Bawumia failed to do in 8 years – Osman Ayariga
7 minutes -
Famous Apple designer Sir Jony Ive joins OpenAI
20 minutes -
Target sales hit as Trump tariffs take effect
33 minutes -
Nike to hike prices as it faces tariffs uncertainty
44 minutes -
UK sea temperatures soar after exceptionally warm Spring
55 minutes -
Starmer announces U-turn on winter fuel payment cuts
1 hour -
‘CJ may want cameras, but the constitution knows better’ – Amaliba insists on private hearings
1 hour -
CJ removal: ‘Democracy is not the law’ – Abraham Amaliba warns against constitutional overreach
2 hours -
Former DR Congo PM sentenced to hard labour on corruption charge
2 hours -
M&S website completely down, leaving users unable to browse
3 hours -
Two Israeli embassy staff shot dead in attack at DC Jewish museum
3 hours