Under this legislation, tech manufacturers would be forced to enable default filters on their products sold in the state that “prevent the user of the device from accessing material that is harmful to minors” until the user chooses to deactivate it. Rep. Susan Pulsipher, a Republican with an education background and zero technology experience, introduced the bill in December, and it’s been significantly watered down since then, if you can believe it. The original version called for penalties of up to $2,500 for each violation, which have since dropped to just $10 (with a $500 cap) after pushback from other House members and free speech activists. The bill’s current version also contains a very important stipulation: It will only become law in Utah after at least five other states adopt similar measures.
Lawmakers in the predominantly Mormon state have headed an anti-porn crusade in recent years, declaring porn a “public health crisis” in 2016 and pushing for internet service providers to roll out similar filters to those approved with HB 72. Last year, legislators passed a law without the governor’s approval that forces adult websites to put up warning labels regarding the “obscene” nature of their content.
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