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HB 1212

Criminal Law - Obscene Material - Device Filters

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Susan McComas

HB 1212 mandates internet-filtering software pre-installed on all internet-capable devices sold in Maryland, blocking obscene content by default with user override options.

Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 1212

Legislative bill overview

HB 1212 would require manufacturers and retailers of devices capable of accessing the internet to include filtering technology that blocks obscene material as a default setting. Users could disable these filters, but the bill mandates that such protective software come pre-installed on devices sold in Maryland.

Why is this important

Internet filtering at the device level would affect how Marylanders, particularly minors, access online content. This represents a significant shift in responsibility from individual users and parents to manufacturers and sellers, potentially impacting product design, cost, and consumer choice across the state.

Potential points of contention

  • First Amendment concerns: Courts have repeatedly struck down laws requiring content filters as potential prior restraint on speech; defining "obscene material" legally is complex and contentious
  • Technical feasibility and cost: Universal device-level filtering is technically challenging and would likely increase hardware prices for all consumers, not just those with minors
  • Parental authority displacement: The bill may conflict with parents' ability to customize their own household internet controls and could be seen as government overreach into family decision-making

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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