Utah does "censorship" right, Australia's 'net policy goes...south.

Utah's State Legislature is considering allowing "pre-censored" Internet providers and giving them a special label, according to the Deseret News:

Utah Internet service providers could earn a state-approved "G-rating" for filtering content and insuring that users could not access pornography under provisions in a bill heard by a House committee on Monday.

HB407, sponsored by Rep. Michael Morley, R-Spanish Fork, would require the Utah Division of Consumer Protection to create a designation for providers who prevent access to "prohibited" material. After attaining the "seal of approval," providers would be subject for fines up to $10,000 for violating requirements.

"It's very difficult to figure out a way to monitor the internet," Morley said. "I think it's a positive thing for those who are looking for a site that is dedicated to fighting pornography."

The opponents are Google, Yahoo, etc. Obviously they'd see a decrease in traffic from some Utahn customers, but actually I see this as a good thing. While I'm not a fan of filtering, I do think that it's up to parents to choose what is appropriate for their children. If they want to leave it up to an ISP instead of having to constantly update software that their kids could possibly get around, more power to them. If the market is there for these kinds of "G-rated" ISPs, good for them. Let them make bank.

THE federal Government's plan to have internet service providers filter pornography and other internet content deemed inappropriate for children is going full-steam ahead.

Trials are to be conducted soon in a closed environment in Tasmania.

Today is the deadline for expressions of interest to Enex TestLab, the Melbourne company evaluating internet service provider content filters on behalf of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

ISP-based filters will block inappropriate web pages at service provider level and automatically relay a clean feed to households.

To be exempted, users will have to individually contact their ISPs.The trial will evaluate ISP-level internet content filters in a controlled environment while filtering content inappropriate for children, Enex said. 

Utah wants an opt-in, market-based solution, while Australia thinks that everyone needs to be "protected" by default and have to go "waltzing matilda" to get out of the filtering system. I'm not so sure why Google and Yahoo! are opposing the Utah bill and not screaming bloody murder about the Aussies. Content providers should support allowing people to choose to not receive their content, that way they can realize how much they use it when it's gone. Let parents get frustrated with their filtered service until they cancel it.