Starbucks the Latest to Block Pornography from Public Wi-Fi Networks
Anti-pornography organizations have declared victory for their "National Porn Free Wi-Fi" campaign.
By Grace Reader •
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In 2014, Enough is Enough, alongside of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, launched a "National Porn Free Wi-Fi" campaign, which focused largely on Starbucks and McDonald's public Wi-Fi networks -- this week marks a victory for the campaign.
McDonald's announced Thursday that it would be filtering pornographic and other unnecessary content on its public Wi-Fi at all locations in the U.S.
"McDonald's is committed to providing our customers with a safe environment, and we took the issues raised by Enough is Enough under advisement," McDonald's Media Relations says. "We are pleased to share that Wi-Fi filtering has been activated in the majority of McDonald's nearly 14,000 restaurants nationwide, improving upon the restaurant experience for our customers."
Related: 20 McDonald's Facts That May Surprise You
Starbucks wasn't far behind, announcing Friday that the company would begin filtering out pornographic content as well.
"Once we determine that our customers can access our free Wi-Fi in a way that also doesn't involuntarily block unintended content, we will implement this in our stores," said a Starbucks spokesperson to CNN Money. "In the meantime, we reserve the right to stop any behavior that interferes with our customer experience, including what is accessed on our free Wi-Fi."
Enough Is Enough and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation received 50,000 signatures and partnered with 75 organizations to bring the change, according to Enough is Enough's website.
"We are pleased by Starbucks' decision to make its stores safer for families and children by pursuing an effective WiFi filtering solution," Donna Rice Hughes, President of Enough Is Enough, says in a press release.
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation hopes that the decision will decrease the amount of children who are exposed to pornography at an early age.
"Twenty seven percent of young adults first saw pornography before the age of puberty, which is alarming considering the fact that pornography is linked to decreased brain matter, compulsive use disorders, and sexual aggression," Haley Halverson, director of communications for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation says.
Don't worry, you will still be able to get all of that homework done, uninterrupted. "Thanks to unprecedented advancements in technology, we know that quality internet filtering services are more than capable of excluding pornography without blocking access to legitimate health or educational materials," Halverson says.
Related: Crowdsource Your Way to Free Wi-Fi Everywhere
