This is a topic dear to my heart: the idea that everyone should have access to the Internet.

The FCC’s outgoing chairman, Kevin Martin, has been pushing for just such a thing with his dream of using some of the available wireless spectrum for a free nationwide wireless network.

Well, he just dropped one of his requirements that stood in the way of such a thing ever happening. No longer is he demanding the network include a filter to block material that’s inappropriate for children. It’s not something that’s gone over all that well with free speech advocates.

But the filtering proposal raised concerns among free-speech advocates on the left and right, who question how to determine what constitutes appropriate Internet content and how effective content filters truly are. Opponents point out that filters often mistakenly block legitimate sites, including resources about health and sex education.

The dropping of the filtering requirement should boost Martin’s chances of success, but the idea apparently still faces a few challenges, including opposition from wireless carriers who say it could interfere with their own operations.