Citing Adult Content, Chicago Suburb Bans Comcast On-Demand

December 8, 2006

The south Chicago suburb of South Holland, Illinois, has blocked Comcast's cable-on-demand service.

The reason: concern that some of the good townsfolk will opt to view (tsk) "adult content."

“In keeping with the prevailing community standards and the long established values associated with our motto of faith, family and future, the village has franchise agreements that protect these standards and values,” a town official said in a statement

In what will come as a surprise to absolutely no one, statements and policies such as this don't exactly float the Americal Civil Liberties Union's boat.

Illinois American Civil Liberties Union legal director Harvey Grossman said the franchise agreement isn’t the final word on the matter.

"The contract can't waive the Constitution," said Illinois ACLU legal director Harvey Grossman. "This kind of censorship — and it clearly is censorship — raises very serious constitutional issues.”

Grossman added that if a South Holland citizen would step up and file a complaint, the ACLU would join in.

Comcast says they will comply, but South Hollard officials said they would like Comcast to devise means to offer on-demand without adult content in the channels menu.