Free speech

The dismissal poses a setback for First Amendment and digital privacy advocates, who argue the law unfairly discriminates against certain kinds of speech, violates the First Amendment rights of porn providers and intrudes on the privacy of individuals who want to view sexually explicit materials.

Former Brighton High School librarian Catherine Bates said her job was affecting her mental health, in part because of the current political climate surrounding school libraries and which books can be in them.

The Davis School District said in a statement on Tuesday that its board had determined the sacred text was age-appropriate for all school libraries.

In response to a suit challenging the new age verification law and a request for an injunction, the Utah Attorney General’s office says the plaintiffs don’t have grounds to sue.

The judge called the city officials' attempt to stop the show unconstitutional. A statement from the city says it is committed to ensuring public parks remain open to those who want to hold events.

The group argues that the harms the law inflicts on adult website operators were well underway and would continue over the years it takes to resolve the case.

The move to stop allowing public comments at council meetings earlier this spring prompted protests about free speech. Residents will be able to speak at meetings again starting this summer, but they’ll have to follow some new rules.

St. George’s mayor recently ditched in-person public comment at council meetings in favor of written statements. The move and the angry response point to larger questions about the state of democracy and civility.

Lawmakers likened the new age requirement, which took effect May 3, to those for alcohol or online gambling and argued that stronger protections were needed to shield kids from pornography.

Utah’s Online Pornography Viewing Age Requirements law obliges adult sites to verify a user's age. Critics say that is where the problem lies.

No court challenges exist yet but Gov. Spencer Cox is on record saying he “can't wait to get in front of a judge and jury with these media companies.”

Utah's Republican governor signed a pair of measures Thursday that, among other moves, requires parental consent before kids can sign up for sites like TikTok and Instagram.