The Utah Transit Authority offers their commuters a free service of wireless Internet that has been set up in a number of areas in the state.  Commuters wishing to use this free service on buses and commuter trains need to be over the age of 18.

Although there is a minimum age limit for the free Wi-Fi system, the Utah Transit Authority has chosen to filter out websites with certain themes, in order to protect the children who also ride the public transport, and may be affected by what they see.  Users are already unable to access pornographic websites, with gambling websites the next on the list to be filtered out.

Those wishing to use the free system have to agree to the content filter of “offensive” websites before using the service.  The filter, however, does not managed to block all the sites that are considered offensive.  Gerry Carpenter, a spokesperson for the Utah Transit Authority, has explained that transit police officers will do the work that the automatic filters do not managed to do.  He said “Enforcement would be by a transit police officer who would have to make a judgement call prior to issuing a citation.”

First time violators will receive fines of $300, with subsequent violations reaching as much as $500.  The Utah Transit Authority did not stop at this, and have decided that even those using their own private Internet access can be fined $100 for accessing websites the Transit Authority consider offensive.  Once again, the reason sited is that children may see the offending material.  One wonders what kind of effect it could possibly have on children to see an adult playing online slots or blackjack.