Several chain restaurants that offer free wifi to their customers are being forced to add anti-porn filters to their wireless networks. Starbucks, McDonalds, Panera Bread and Chick-Fil-A just a few of the chains that have been forced to implement the filters. McDonalds has stated that “a majority” of their 14,000 locations will soon be utilizing the x-rated content filter.
The decision was spurred by pleas from anti-porn groups such as the National Center on Sexual Exploitation and Enough is Enough, a non-profit organization formed in 1994 with the goal of confronting online pornography and sexual predation. The group fought for nearly two years before the McDonalds corporation agreed to censor their free wifi networks.
A McDonalds spokesperson commented on the new security feature, stating:
“McDonald’s is committed to providing a safe environment for our customers,”
While several companies have already instituted the ban Starbucks is taking a slower approach. They want to ensure that the filters don’t interfere with the web browsing habits of their customers, assuming those habits don’t involve watching sexually explicit material in public.
[revad2]
