The change involves Starbucks putting in place measures to block customers from viewing explicit content over the free Wi-Fi that Strabucks offers people as they sip their choice of coffee, as reported by The Week. The use of a blocker has come from a campaign instigated by a pressure group – Virginia-based non-profit, Enough is Enough. The group had previously convinced McDonald’s to block porn on its public Wi-Fi, which came into effect in 2016.
Enough Is Enough has the aim of making the Internet safer for families and children. The organization carries out lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C., and the group was involved with the passage of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, the Child Online Protection Act of 1998, and the Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000.
Originally Strabucks had agreed to put the filter in place earlier, but appeared to reverse the decision. This prompted Internet safety crusader Donna Rice Hughes to launch a petition, as shown in the video below:
The publicity and petition appears to have been successful, according to Grub Street. However, the ban does not kick into effect until 2019.
Commenting on the new policy, Starbucks said in a statement (quoted by The Verge): “While it rarely occurs, the use of Starbucks public Wi-Fi to view illegal or egregious content is not, nor has it ever been permitted.”
