Governor Spencer Cox will soon decide whether pornography will be barred on all new phones and tablets sold in Utah. Conservative legislatures in the state have passed the proposal, and it’ll be left up to Governor Cox to veto it or not.
Governor Cox Weighs New Proposal
Utah lawmakers’ official proposal reads that newly-purchased smartphones and tablets would “automatically enable a filter capable of blocking material that is harmful to minors,” and that would include pornography. It also states that certain users would be able to disable the filter “for specific content.”
A report by the Associated Press reveals that Cox “will carefully consider this bill during the bill signing period.” March 25, 2021, is his deadline to sign or veto the bill. Even if Cox does sign it, the bill won’t go into effect unless five other states enact similar restrictions.
Some opponents of the bill argue that the filter would be a violation of free speech. On the other hand, supporters cite that this bill is necessary to keep children away from pornography while using mobile devices.
Will Utah Be the First State to Require Content Filters?
In the eyes of Utah lawmakers, parental controls just aren’t enough. Passing this bill would essentially enable parental controls on new devices automatically, erasing the struggle that some parents may have when turning on these filters.