SALT LAKE CITY — The controversial Utah bill mandating a “porn filter” on every electronic device sold in the state finally passed out of committee by a narrow 6-5 vote and is headed to the House of Representatives' floor.
HB 72, introduced by Rep. Susan Pulsipher (R-South Jordan), would mandate default “porn filters” onto phones and laptops sold in Utah.
If passed, the mandatory filters — from which for-profit, faith-based software companies have been profiting for some time — would have to be activated by default in 2022. According to analysts, international manufacturers of phones and computers like Apple or Google could face civil liability if they don't comply.
Pulpisher had tried to introduce a similar bill last year, but it was defeated on privacy grounds at the committee stage.
Pulsipher re-introduced it immediately at the start of the current session of the Utah legislature, and invited speakers from religiously inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE (formerly known as Morality in Media) to give presentations about the supposed “public health harms” related to porn.
The bill finally passed the committee by the narrowest of votes last Thursday, after Pulsipher agreed to some changes.
The six votes in favor came from Republicans, while the 5 against were bipartisan.
Pulsipher’s “porn filter” bill now heads to the state House for debate.
Main Image: Utah State Representative Susan Pulsipher (R-South Jordan). Photo: Utah House of Representatives.
