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Although Utah commuters have been given free wireless Internet by the Utah Transit Authority, they have not been given the freedom to access any websites they wish to access.
The Utah Transit Authority has installed a filter on the system, which blocks out pornography, and will also block out online gambling sites. Many argue that what is being done is simply blocking out personal freedom, although the state of Utah says that the reason for the filtering system is to "protect the children."
Even though commuters need to be either 18 or older in order to use the system in the first place, the Transit Authority feels the ban is necessary because children also use the commuter trains and buses.
For those sites that the filtering system does not manage to block, violators entering the type of sites the Transit Authority has banned can be fined $300 for first offenses, and $500 for all subsequent offenses.
A spokesman for the Transit Authority, Gerry Carpenter, states "The filter is dynamic and constantly updated by the software provider to provide the most up-to-date protection possible." He also noted that the transit police officers would enforce the law and would make their own judgment calls before issuing citations.
More concerning than the regular fines that can be issues for violators, those that use their own mobile Internet connections can also be fined $100 for viewing or using the blocked sites, even if they are simply viewing content downloaded before commuting. The $100 fine can be charged under the guise of disorderly conduct. |
