July 31, 2016
Catholic Register: Some fast-food chains now blocking customers' internet access to porn
WASHINGTON – When the U.S. bishops urged a national policy of net neutrality, they wanted to make sure that internet access was made equally available to all people.
A federal appeals court upheld that principle earlier this year, agreeing with the Federal Communications Commission's argument was that internet access was a utility and should be regulated as such because it offers a public good.
But what of private internet providers? How many are there?
There's no readily accurate estimate. But if you think of the number of restaurants and stores that offer free Wi-Fi to their customers, then you realize the number is a mighty big one.
What makes this a big deal?
Two of the United States' most ubiquitous restaurant chains, McDonald's and Starbucks, announced in mid-July they were installing filtering technology at its locations to block pornography and other sexually explicit material from being seen on customers' cellphones and laptops while there...