Utah Governor Spencer Cox signs legislation that mandates all Smartphones and tablets sold in the state to install porn filters

Spencer Cox, the Republican governor of Utah, on Tuesday signed a legislation that makes it mandatory for all Smartphones and tablets sold in the state to automatically filter porn sites.

The move, critics say, is an intrusion on free speech whiles those who are in support of the legislation claim that this is an important step in protecting children from porn.

The House committee sparred over the proposal that the state’s conservative governor signed into law.

Governor Cox had till March 25 to veto the porn bill.

Utah tweeted that he also vetoed the social media moderation bill that, “would have required social media companies to more clearly state their moderation terms and explain why posts are removed for violating them.”

The porn filter legislation requires that all cell phone and tablet manufacturers that intend to sell in Utah use content filters to block porn.

This means that manufacturers who don’t use filters could now face up to $2000 in fines, according to reports. The manufacturers can also face a penalty if any child is exposed to “harmful material.”