Lawmakers Prove They Don’t Know How The Internet Works

Part of the puritanical online censorship bill aims to end prostitution.

One US state is the most recent to fall in line with party politics while simultaneously proving they don’t know how the internet works. A lawmaker in Alabama has proposed legislation that will require all internet-capable devices sold within the state to contain physical filters that do not allow the user to access pornography.

It gets better. Representative Jack Williams (R-Vestavia Hills) also states that any seller who doesn’t wish to comply with this Puritan-era rule must pay a $20-per-device fine for not installing a filter. At the same time, any consenting adult who wishes to have the filter removed must also pay a $20 fine and submit the request to the state in writing.

Legislation cannot replace good parenting and common sense, no matter how hard lawmakers try.

Looks familiar

This bill is a nearly word-for-word copycat of bills introduced in other states, such as South Carolina. SC goes on to admit, though, that part of this bill is intended to halt prostitution – because viewing obscene content is directly correlated to human trafficking 100% of the time, apparently – and to prevent the practice of “revenge porn.”

As outlined in these bills, here’s how it works. Apple must now create a filter that will prevent obscene images from appearing on any screen they produce, but limit those filters to sales in the states with the law. Individuals who are trying to watch Game of Thrones on their iPhones, iPads, or smart-TVs will have to pay a $20 fine and request approval in writing.

In reality…

Here’s how lawmakers have no idea how this process actually works. Step one, buy your device in a neighboring state that doesn’t have this ridiculous attempt at policing behavior from consenting adults. Step two, order your device online and happily wait for it to arrive; if geographic internet retail regulations come into play, have the device shipped to your brother in another state, and have him mail it to you (which is still perfectly legal since he’s not a manufacturer, retailer, or seller). Step three, use a VPN to connect to the internet and view all the nakedness you want for free on your supposedly-filtered device.

If this was actually about protecting children and not imposing religious morals on the public, lawmakers should perhaps:

• Stop cutting funding for law enforcement agencies that are trying to investigate and prosecute actual human traffickers.
• Fund and implement realistic sex education in schools.
• Parents could also stop handing their young children smartphones and leaving them unattended, or investing in high-dollar 500-channel cable television packages.
• See if your child has installed Snapchat on that phone of hers.

In short, once again, legislation cannot replace good parenting and common sense, no matter how hard lawmakers try.

If you’re in need of a VPN, we’ve got a great range to download free, right here on FileHippo.