• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Starbucks

Starbucks to Block Porn From Its Free Wifi in 2019, Report Says

By
Emily Gillespie
Emily Gillespie
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Emily Gillespie
Emily Gillespie
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 28, 2018, 7:12 PM ET

Starbucks is finally following through on a years-old promise to block porn sites from its free WiFi, according to Business Insider.

In 2016, the coffee chain responded to pressure from Enough is Enough, a group that advocates for internet safety, by telling CNN that it would make a change and block porn sites at its cafes.

Two years of inaction, however, led Enough is Enough CEO Donna Rice Hughes to put out a statement calling out Starbucks for not following through on its commitment. The statement included a link to a petition, which as of Wednesday had reached more than 26,000 signatures.

“By breaking its commitment, Starbucks is keeping the doors wide open for convicted sex offenders and others to fly under the radar from law enforcement and use free, public WiFi services to access illegal child porn and hard-core pornography,” Hughes said in the statement.

In its policy, the news source reports, Starbucks reportedly bans watching pornography at its coffee shops but had not yet added any content blockers to its WiFi to ban explicit content.

That will change next year, the coffee company told Business Insider.

While Hughes told the news agency she was pleased by the move, she pointed to other large companies that sprung into action much quicker. McDonalds, for example, was subjected to the same pressure by the advocacy group and in 2016 responded by announcing that it had implemented an internet filter to a majority of its nearly 14,000 restaurants.

Starbucks told Business Insider that it tested multiple tools, searching for a way to make sure that appropriate sites wouldn’t be blocked, though didn’t reveal details about the tool it plans to implement. Starbucks has not yet responded to Fortune‘s request for comment.

About the Author
By Emily Gillespie
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Success
After decades in the music industry, Pharrell Williams admits he never stops working: ‘If you do what you love everyday, you’ll get paid for free'
By Emma BurleighFebruary 3, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Peter Thiel warns the Antichrist and apocalypse are linked to the ‘end of modernity’ currently happening—and cites Greta Thunberg as a driving example
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Ray Dalio warns the world is ‘on the brink’ of a capital war of weaponizing money—and gold is the best way for people to protect themselves
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Crypto
Bitcoin demand in Nancy Guthrie disappearance shows how crypto is becoming a more frequent feature of physical crimes
By Carlos GarciaFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Tech stocks go into free fall as it dawns on traders that AI has the ability to cut revenues across the board
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 4, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump is giving the U.S. economy a $65 billion tax-refund shot in the arm, mostly for higher-income people, BofA says
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 5, 2026
19 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in

U.S. athlete Daniella Ramirez during a press conference on day five of the Olympic Games in Paris.
SuccessOlympics
U.S. Olympic medalist barely earns enough to cover rent but makes 5 times more on social media
By Orianna Rosa RoyleFebruary 6, 2026
34 seconds ago
NewslettersCEO Daily
Disney’s Bob Iger achieves an essential feat for outgoing CEOs: giving his successor a clean slate
By Diane BradyFebruary 6, 2026
21 minutes ago
johnsson
Commentaryvaluations
When the music stops: the unravelling of AI companies’ flawed valuations
By Mikael JohnssonFebruary 6, 2026
53 minutes ago
A woman holds up a peace sign as she runs in the New York City Marathon.
RetailLuxury
Gen Z’s latest status symbol is running a marathon—and it’s terrible news for Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Hermès
By Sasha RogelbergFebruary 6, 2026
3 hours ago
Personal Financemortgages
Current mortgage rates report for Feb. 6, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganFebruary 6, 2026
3 hours ago
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates today, Feb. 6, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.18%
By Glen Luke FlanaganFebruary 6, 2026
3 hours ago