Craigslist Founder Defends 'Erotic Services' Listings
- by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 27, 2009
Craigslist founder Craig Newmark said the site does
not currently plan to discontinue its "erotic services" listings, despite renewed pressure from law enforcement authorities triggered by the recent "Craigslist murder." In an interview with ABC Nightline's Martin Bashir, Newmark also said he disagreed that the site facilitates prostitution. "I wouldn't put it that way; no, I disagree," he responded when Bashir confronted him with ads that appear to be for prostitution and asked whether the site facilitates such activity.
Earlier this month, Boston University student Philip Markoff allegedly murdered masseuse Julissa Brisman, who had placed a Craigslist ad offering erotic massage.
Her death has resulted in renewed scrutiny of Craigslist's "erotic services" listings. Last week, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, for one, demanded that the site stop accepting prostitution ads.
Craigslist also faces a federal lawsuit in Illinois, filed by Chicago sheriff Thomas Dart. In that case, Dart alleges that the site's erotic services ads facilitate prostitution. Dart argued that the term "erotic services" self-evidently refers to prostitution. But Craigslist says in an FAQ that the section is supposed to house ads for services like "sensual massage, adult web cams, phone sex, erotic dancing, adult websites, nude housecleaning, etc."
Internet law experts say that legal action against Craigslist isn't likely to get very far because Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act states that Web sites are immune from liability when users of the site violate state law.
Separately, last November Craigslist forged a deal with 40 state attorneys general to charge a small amount for erotic services ads. The site now also requires that advertisers provide credit card information, and donates revenue from those ads to charity.
it's shame to see that some in law enforcement don't see craigslist as a partner given that it has helped consolidate crime into one easy to locate place...if indeed some of these folks are committing crimes. some in law enforcement claim that the numbers of illegal erotic services being offered are overwhelming. well to them i'd say, "do you think that w/o a source like craigslist these would all disappear, or would it just be out of site and hence more difficult to know the extent of the problem?" it's almost like there's a desire to have this all hidden (as though the jons wouldn't find these services any longer...not! ;), so we can be ignorant to the societal ills.
considering how small a piece of their overall business this represents, and the fact that knowing the extent of the problem is more important than not, i commend the team at craigslist for developing a resource that helps people know more and hopefully helps them think more about the issues around them. law enforcement, and Tom Dart in particular, should be thanking craiglist not suing them.