Utah Bill Requiring Porn Filters on School Computers Advances

FILTERVILLE, USA—Utah state bill HB213, introduced at the end of January by Rep. Keven Stratton (R-Orem), was passed today by a House vote of 61-13. The bill, which among other things would require public schools in the state to install porn filters on all "educational technology," including mobile devices such as iPads, now moves to the Senate for consideration.   According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Stratton came up with the bill "after an elementary school in his district recently had a student access hard-core pornography by following the online history of another student on a school-owned iPad. He said it shows schools need to install appropriate filters in mobile electronics for use on and off campus." The bill would also require educational districts, boards and councils to "fulfill certain duties related to safe technology utilization and digital citizenship." These duties would include developing plans or courses of action that would, among other things, "Provide foreducation and awareness on safe technology utilization and digital citizenship that empowers... student[s] to make smart media and online choices; and a parent or guardian to know how to discuss safe technology use with the parent's or guardian's child; and partner with the school's principal and other administrators to ensure that adequate on and off campus Internet filtering is installed and consistently configured to prevent viewing of harmful content by students and school personnel." The current text of the bill can be found here. Image: Utah Legislature in session.