Oklahoma Internet porn ban must pass Loving challenge

Another legal challenge to online censorship is under way in the US, this time in Oklahoma where state-owned computers are forbidden to access porn on the Internet.

According to an Oklahoma state law passed last spring, any computer at a state-owned institution must not be used to access adult sites on the World Wide Web.

To comply with this legislation, the University of Oklahoma barred staff and students from accessing the alt.sex newsgroups in Usenet.

But journalism professor Bill Loving sees this as infringement of freedom of speech and is suing the university to have its decision reversed.

Loving claims that the censorship is a form of prior restraint. In common with other Net censorship lawsuits in Philadelphia and New York, he also wants a ruling on the exact definition of ?obscene?.

His lawsuit claims: ?The Internet carried by the University of Oklahoma constitutes a common carrier and, as such, may not refuse to carry or allow access to any services, newsgroups, information and opinion through the computer system.?

The US District Court in Oklahoma has to rule whether the restrictions imposed have ?compelling government interest and exercise minimal intrusion?.

The opening arguments in the case were due to begin last Friday and the case continues.