AT&T and AOL block child porn newsgroups

[Hell Puppy]

It makes a good press release. It makes families feel perhaps safer about using their service.

That's about it.

Other than that, it's not really such a wise idea. They are a carrier. At the point a carrier starts censoring, then they are become not just a carrier but an editor. There was a case back in the early 90's where Compuserve did this that serves as a precedent. By censoring one thing, you are taking responsibility for your content. You've lost the immunity you have as merely a carrier.