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A new mobile phone network that launched this week claims to block LGBTQ+ content from subscribers to its phone plans.
Radiant Mobile is a Christian mobile phone network that will operate on the T-Mobile network, seeking to deliver “faith-focused mobile service,” according to the company’s website.
The company launched on Tuesday with support from the Israeli cybersecurity firm Allot, and is believed to be the first mobile plan aimed at blocking content it deems as harmful from users, British newspaper The Independent reported.
Paul Fisher, founder of Radiant Mobile, previously told MIT Technology Review that he wanted to create a service “void of LGBT” and “void of trans.”
“We are going to create, and we think we have every right to do so, an environment that is Jesus-centric,” he said.
Related: Parents Blame Conservative Cell Phone Company for School Book Bans
The company says it aims to restrict access to what it describes as “harmful content,” including LGBTQ+ material, pornography, and explicit content. Even on more general websites, that includes blocking specific webpages that include LGBTQ+ content.
Radiant Mobile places particular emphasis on parental controls, echoing rhetoric commonly used by opponents of LGBTQ+ rights who argue that exposure to LGBTQ+ people or issues is harmful to children.
The company’s website says parents will be able to customize security settings for each child, block entire social media platforms such as TikTok, and prevent children from using VPNs to bypass restrictions. Radiant Mobile did not immediately return The Advocate’s request for comment.
Researchers and mental health advocates, however, have long found that online communities and access to LGBTQ+ information can provide critical support for LGBTQ+ youth, especially those living in unsupportive homes or communities. Access to online LGBTQ+ resources has been linked to improved mental health outcomes, social support and reduced isolation among queer and transgender young people.
Related: How anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is impacting businesses and individuals
Related: Major companies are ending DEI programs. Here's how an LGBTQ+ group is taking them to task
Efforts to restrict LGBTQ+ content online have become a major flashpoint in broader political battles over LGBTQ+ rights, with many Republican politicians and conservative Christian groups falsely claiming that exposure to LGBTQ+ people or information can influence a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Radiant Mobile will purchase bandwidth from T-Mobile to power the service, as it does not own any cell towers. The company has also recruited Christian influencers across the United States to help promote its service, according to The Independent.
