Utah
Implications of the Utah Social Media Regulation Act
Recently, I penned an article for the February 2023 edition of XBIZ World magazine, analyzing the impact of Louisiana’s age verification law, HB 142. Fast-forward just a few months and now the Utah legislature has passed an amended version of Senate Bill 152, the Utah Social Media Regulation Act.
The Bible Challenged in Utah for Explicit Sexual Content
A Utah parent is challenging the arbitrary, expansive nature of the state’s legal redefinitions of “pornography,” by flagging the Bible in an official complaint for its numerous instances of sexual content.
Anti-Porn Crusader Brags About Creating, Spreading 'Porn Filter' Legislation
The general counsel for anti-porn lobby NCOSE admitted to NBC news earlier this week that the organization is behind the state-by-state campaign to force all electronics manufacturers to install and activate “porn filters” on their devices.
Utah Republicans Continue Introducing Controversial Age Verification Bills
Republican state legislators in Utah have introduced two controversial age verification bills that could have nationwide ramifications.
Hustler Hollywood Opens 1st Utah Location in Salt Lake City
Hustler Hollywood has opened a new store in Salt Lake City — the retail chain's first Utah location.
Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee Introduces Bill to Outlaw All Porn Nationwide
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) this week introduced the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, a bill that nominally aims to “establish a national definition of obscenity” but which would, in effect, outlaw all online sexual content nationwide.
Utah Republican Argues for Return to Pre-1973 Definition of 'Obscenity'
A Republican member of the Utah state legislature is arguing for a return to the pre-1973 standard for determining what speech or expression is “obscene” and therefore not protected by the First Amendment.
Pennsylvania Republican Introduces 'Mandatory Porn Filter' Copycat Bill
A Republican member of the Pennsylvania state legislature has introduced a new bill mandating default “porn filters” on phones and computers sold in the state.
Utah Senator, Mormon Activist Single Out Adult Sites With 'PROTECT Act'
Utah Senator Mike Lee (R) and Mormon activist Dawn Hawkins, CEO of religiously motivated anti-porn lobby NCOSE, are promoting the PROTECT Act, a proposed federal bill that would make adult websites liable for third-party content.
Utah Board of Education Adopts Guidelines for How to Ban 'Pornographic' Material
The Utah State Board of Education has approved official guidelines for how to ban books and other material from school libraries, amidst a moral panic stoked by religiously inspired activists seeking to cleanse education of “pornography.”
Utah College Instructor Defends 'Porn Studies' Course
The Utah college instructor at the center of a controversy stoked by conservative watchdog website Campus Reform spoke to local media, defending her elective film course on the phenomenon of pornography.
Utah College Porn Studies Class Challenged by Conservatives
Conservative watchdog website Campus Reform is conducting a shaming campaign against a small liberal arts college in Utah that scheduled an elective film course analyzing the phenomenon of pornography.
Utah Legislator Drafts Bill to Censor Books in Schools, Alleging 'Pornography'
A Utah state representative has authored a bill to explicitly ban what he considers “pornographic and indecent books” in the state’s public schools.
Arizona Legislator Proposes Copycat 'Porn Filter' Bill
A Republican state representative in Arizona has introduced legislation mandating that tech companies activate some form of “porn filter” by default on any device sold in the state, mimicking a controversial bill passed in Utah last year.
Mormon Church Expels Sex Therapist Skeptical of 'Porn Addiction'
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, or the Mormon Church) has expelled sex therapist Natasha Helfer for refusing to bow down to their notions on “sexuality issues,” including its obsession with the unscientific notion of “porn addiction."
Alabama: Legislature Urged to Copy Utah's 'Porn Filter' Bill
The Alabama House Judiciary Committee held a hearing yesterday on a “copycat bill” of the legislation successfully passed in Utah last month, aiming to force phone and computer manufacturers to install default “porn filters” on devices sold in Alabama.
Opinion: The Deep Roots of Utah's Obsession With 'Filtering' Porn
As a majority of the sane world watched with no small befuddlement yesterday when Utah governor Spencer J. Cox signed into law a ridiculous piece of legislation mandating that every electronics manufacturer on the planet commission and place “porn filters” on any device sold in the state by 2022, many subsequently asked a very simple question: Why?
Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox Signs Mandatory 'Porn Filter' Bill
Utah governor Spencer J. Cox (R) signed yesterday the controversial bill, passed by the state legislature earlier this month, mandating a default “porn filter” on electronic devices sold in the state starting in 2022.
Cherie DeVille Condemns Utah's 'Porn Filter' Bill; Lawmaker Responds
An open letter penned by Cherie DeVille for The Daily Beast condemning Utah’s controversial “porn filter” bill was published on Saturday and quoted within hours in a subsequent article by the Salt Lake Tribune with the lawmaker responsible for the bill, Rep. Susan Pulsipher (R-South Jordan), responding to DeVille's concerns.
Utah: Mandatory 'Porn Filter' Bill Passes Senate, Awaits Governor's Signature
Utah’s controversial “porn filter” bill passed the State Senate this afternoon on a 19-6 vote (with 4 absences), a Salt Lake City capitol source told XBIZ.