PHOENIX — A Republican lawmaker in Arizona has filed a proposal that would mandate that every mobile phone, tablet and computer sold in the state have anti-porn filtering software installed on the devices before purchase. Such a proposal is based on model legislation that the state legislature in Utah passed with the endorsement of the governor in 2021.
The Arizona bill, House Bill (HB) 2115, was filed by Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Like the similar legislation in Utah, Udall’s bill would try and limit computer access to material that is harmful to minors on internet-enabled devices that are sold in Arizona. The bill also grants parents the ability to sue device manufacturers if their child is able to access so-called “harmful material.”
Another provision in the bill would make it a felony if a filter is removed by the manufacturer or the retailer. This means companies could be charged with criminal liability and a fine of $50,000 if filtering software is removed unlawfully. Only the owner of a device can turn off the porn filtering software.
The Arizona Mirror reported that HB 2115 looks similar to porn filtering legislation produced by the controversial anti-porn activist Chris Sevier, a figure on whom YNOT has reported previously. Last year, Sevier reportedly was escorted out of the Oklahoma State Capitol after engaging in an altercation with a lawmaker declining to back a similar porn filtering bill.
To make things weirder, Sevier claims to be in the music business, openly praised the January 6th insurrectionists, has tried to marry his laptop in protest of same-sex marriage and is the accused stalker of country music star John Rich (of Lonestar and Big & Rich fame). Oh, and he was accused of stalking a 17-year-old minor and, as of 2017, had a warrant for his arrest for contempt of court. He also in 2011 as convicted of assaulting is former father-in-law in an altercation dealing with supervised visitation with his child.
The Mirror pressed Rep. Udall on questions asking about the similar designs of her bull to Sevier’s model legislation. Udall maintained that she had no connection with Sevier, and was unaware of who he was. Sevier said something similar of Udall when the Mirror asked, claiming that he currently resides in Paris. Rather, Udall said that she was approached by concerned constituents in her legislative district who voiced concern over what they perceive to be easy ways for young people to access harmful content.
While the adult entertainment industry fully supports reasonable and constitutional efforts to keep minors from age-restricted content, the approach proposed by Udall is problematic and blatantly unconstitutional. Most devices sold today have parental controls preinstalled. Parents can download apps that filter out violent and other harmful content on their child’s device. Devices can also be locked in a “kid mode” only permitting the user access to child-friendly games and internet.
Despite its obvious flaws and possible connection to Sevier, whether Arizona House Bill 2115 will pass is hard to predict. YNOT will continue to track this bill and report on its status.
