Utah's Child Protection Registry will stay active while a court case challenging its constitutionality proceeds, a judge ruled Monday.

"This initial ruling is a significant victory in Utah's efforts to protect our children from smut peddlers who hide behind the First Amendment to try and hook our kids with their filth," said Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff in a written statement.

The site -- www.utahkidsregistry.com -- allows people to register e-mail addresses, instant messenger IDs, mobile phone numbers and fax numbers. Once registered, companies advertising pornography, alcohol or tobacco, drugs, gambling or prostitution must remove those contacts from their databases within 30 days.

The Free Speech Coalition, a group representing the adult entertainment industry, challenged the registry and asked that it be suspended while the case proceeds.

"FSC is not content to let the CPR decision stand," said the group's executive director, Diane Duke. "We have a number of avenues to consider."

Duke noted that a federal law was recently struck down that would've criminalized commercial Web sites that allowed minors access to material deemed harmful. A federal district judge said that the Child Online Protection Act was unconstitutional.

"The COPA decision only helps to solidify our case," Duke said.

Shurtleff said his office "will continue to vigorously defend the Utah Child Protection Registry, which a powerful new tool ... provided to parents who don't want unsolicited porn being sent to their children."

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D4.