ACLU seeks to permanently block '05 Utah anti-porn law

SALT LAKE CITY — A group of booksellers, artists and Internet service providers asked a federal judge Wednesday to permanently stop enforcement of a 2005 Utah anti-pornography law.

The Harmful to Minors Act is intended to make Internet service providers, Web hosts and content providers limit the ability of minors to access pornography on the Internet.

The law seeks to regulate all Internet speech that some might consider "harmful to minors," including works of visual art, photography, graphic novels, and information about sexual health and the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, according to the ACLU of Utah.

U.S. District Judge Dee Benson blocked enforcement of the statute in 2006 after the ACLU and others filed a lawsuit contending the law violates the U.S. Constitution.

"Utah's statute, like those invalidated elsewhere, imposes sweeping burdens on constitutionally-protected speech," said Michael Bamberger, an attorney with Media Coalition.

— Dennis Romboy