[Vision2020] email porn wars

[Bill London]

FYI....BL
----
> Media Contact:
> Dave Bohon
> WDC Media
> Tel. 612-940-8406
> davebohon at wdcmedia.com
>
> The Free Speech Coalition - basically the lobbying arm of the porn
industry
> -- has filed suit to overturn a common sense law in Utah that protects
> children against pornographic e-mails.
>
> The Child Protection Registry is a means to empower parents to block
e-mail
> addresses their children access from receiving adult-oriented
> advertisements. Simply stated, the idea is similar to the "do-not-call"
lists that keep
> telemarketers from harassing individuals with phone calls. Parents simply
log on
> to a website run by the state and register the e-mail addresses they wish
> protected from adult-oriented e-mails. The service is completely free for
> parents and schools seeking protection, and companies that send
adult-oriented
> e-mails are required by law to delete all registered addresses from their
> mailing lists.
>
> So far state CPR laws have been passed in Utah and Michigan and are
> protecting hundreds of thousands of e-mail addresses accessed on a daily
basis by
> children. This year CPR legislation was introduced in several states,
including
> Connecticut, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Hawaii. While none passed this
session,
> several states have strong opportunities to pass effective legislation
next
> year.
>
> Unfortunately, a group called the Free Speech Coalition (basically the
> lobbying arm of the porn industry) has filed suit to overturn Utah's law.
If this
> happens it would have a negative impact on efforts in other states.
>
> To help get you up to speed on this issue I would be happy to send you an
> Advisory Kit from Unspam, the company that has taken the lead in the
> technology to implement the CPRs. Unspam's CEO Matthew Prince has
testified on behalf
> of CPRs in many state legislatures over the last few years and is an
expert
> on the issue.
>
> I have also included a press release for your review.
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> Judge Asked to Dismiss Pornography
> Industry's Lawsuit Against State of Utah
>
> Defending Utah Families' Right to Keep Adult Materials Out of Their Homes
>
> SALT LAKE CITY, UT (May 22, 2006) - The operator of the Utah Child
> Protection Registry has filed motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the
so-called
> "Free Speech Coalition," a group representing the extreme fringe of the
> pornography industry. The Attorney General's Office, representing the
State of
> Utah in the lawsuit, joined supporting the motion. Filed before Judge Dale
> Kimball in U.S. District Court, the motion combats the pornographer's
efforts to
> shut down Utah's Child Protection Registry
(http://www.kidsregistry.utah.gov).
>
> The Child Protection Registry is a free program of the State of Utah that
> allows residents to designate their homes as off-limits to adult-oriented
> solicitations sent via e-mail, text messaging, instant messenger, or fax.
The
> pornography industry filed suit last November claiming they had a First
> Amendment right to continue to send solicitations deemed "harmful to
minors" into
> Utah's homes even after parents explicitly asked them to stop by listing
their
> children's addresses on the Registry.
>
> "Kids have the right to be kids and Utah's parents have the right to keep
> this highly offensive material out of their homes," said Utah Attorney
General
> Mark Shurtleff. "We will vigorously defend the rights of Utah parents
> against an unbridled industry that refuses to respect our community's
standards."
>
> To date, over 150,000 addresses of Utah citizens are protected under the
> law. The Division of Consumer Protection filed its first citation against
a
> sender in January. The cited company, a member of the Free Speech
Coalition, is
> alleged to have sent solicitations for the website
> www.HoneyIF***edTheBabySitter.com to an address used by a Utah child. In
addition, the same company
> allegedly runs websites such as: www.FinallyEighteen.com,
www.DeepThroatMen.com,
> and www.SluttySchoolBus.com.
>
> "The Utah statute at issues is plainly constitutional and fosters Utah
> parents' right to raise their children in a manner they see fit," said
Parker
> Douglas, the author of the motion and an attorney with the firm of Hatch,
James
> & Dodge.
>
> While the lawsuit is pending, Utah's families and schools may still
> register their addresses to receive protection by visiting
> www.kidsregistry.utah.gov.
>
> MEDIA CONTACT
> Erin E. Barry
> Utah Kids Registry, Media Relations
> erin.barry at utahkidsregistry.com
> Tel. 435-615-9205 x.303 or 435-513-2631
>