Utah set up an online form for people to accuse other citizens and public establishments of violating the state’s recently-enacted transphobic “bathroom bill.” The submission form is being flooded with memes and troll comments, and the auditor also left the submissions database open to the public—without a password, authentication, or any other protections that would keep anyone from viewing other people’s submissions.
After 404 Media contacted the auditor's office for comment, they changed the permissions to require authentication.
In January, Utah enacted House Bill 257, "Sex-Based Designations for Privacy, Anti-Bullying, and Women’s Opportunities,” requiring the State Auditor to receive and investigate alleged violations of the law. According to the ACLU’s analysis of this code, it “bars transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people from accessing privacy spaces and other facilities in public schools and government owned or controlled spaces.” It doesn’t apply to privately-owned establishments like restaurants.
The form asks people to report public facilities for not enforcing the law by checking boxes for violations, including “Public school required males or females to participate or compete against the opposite sex in any sex-designated facility, program, or event,” and “Public school required, gave official authorization for, or knowingly allowed males or females to use a sex-designated facility in the presence of the opposite sex.”