Tennessee Introduces Comprehensive Plan to Protect Children from Pornography

Wednesday, the Tennessee legislature introduced an expansive plan through HJR0133 targeting a child’s instant access to pornography. Led by Tennessee Rep. John DeBerry (D- Memphis) with a host of co-sponsors, this bi-partisan resolution proposes action steps for the Federal Government and Internet service providers to take in creating a “safer” Internet for children.

The resolution calls on Internet service provider’s to “utilize the most effective and affordable technology now available to block access to internet pornography by default,” targets enforcement of federal obscenity laws, and locates the “failings” of a 2004 Supreme Court case that blocked many of the government regulations set forth in the late ’90s. Ricky Darr, the co-founder of the National Decency Coalition and prominant developer of the resolution, said, “We are way past due for a plan such as this. The Supreme Court case Ashcroft v. ACLU (2004) left a precedent in our country that inhibits U.S. legislators from initiating real legislative solutions to this crisis. Countries, like the United Kingdom, have been paving the way for years. We hope by the passage of this resolution Congress will readdress this problem and fall in line with countries making such great headway.”

Ernie Allen co-founder of National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, and who also helped with the development of the resolution, last year worked with former U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah on a similar version of the U.K. law in the U.S. but dropped the initiative due to questions concerning prior Supreme Court rulings. HJR0133 is aimed at addressing these concerns line by line to remove any doubts from Congress as they move forward. Liz Walker, Director of Health Education for Culture Reframed, a group led by known advocate Dr. Gail Daines, told us “The U.K. is set to implement the 2017 Digital Economy Act in April of this year and will allow a year for online pornographers to implement an age-verification mechanism. If they don’t comply, eventually the Internet providers in the U.K. will block access to their site entirely.” Walker added that major pornographers such as MindGeek who owns the more familiar site PornHub is on board and set to roll out with these protections this year.

Tennessee’s resolution also calls on Internet service providers to block the access to online pornography by default but allow adult customers the ability to “opt-out of protections”. The National Decency Coalition last year shared how Internet providers play a role in protecting children from pornography all over the world. Darr said, “The technology available for ISP’s to protect children is extraordinary. They are helping children and families all over the world, and it’s time that we begin the discussion in the U.S. to get real tangible solutions implemented by our ISP’s. Following the passage of this resolution, plans to make this a reality with our great legislators are underway.”

In addition to the National Decency Coalition, HJR0133 was helped by prominent groups and individuals around the country as National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), Enough is Enough, Robert Peters former president of NCOSE, Ernie Allen, and more. Locally, Dale Walker President of the Tennessee Pastor’s Network stated in regards to the resolution, “building of a wall around protecting children from Internet pornography is way past due! The tsunami of pornography must be stopped and I pray that there is measurable action on this matter in Tennessee and the nation soon.”

Late last year, Attorney Russ White, and Executive Director of Citizens for Community Values of Memphis, met with Representative DeBerry in his home about the resolution. Russ shared this statement to us, “Citizens for Community Values of Memphis is so thankful that Representative John DeBerry agreed to sponsor the Resolution calling for a safer Internet for children with the Tennessee legislature this session. Pornography is an evil that the Tennessee legislature recognized as such in its 2017 Resolution which described ‘pornography as a public health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and societal harms.'” Representative DeBerry told us, ” Now’s the time for this. I think the culture is ready.”

The resolution is also being sponsored by Senator Mark Pody from Lebanon, Tennessee, and is expected to reach a House Committee soon for its first vote.

[print-me]