Find Your Valentine
Slog
News & ArtsSaturday, September 4, 2010
Sex Craigslist Blocks Ads for Adult Services
Posted by Dominic Holden on Sat, Sep 4, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Craigslist, the Internet's iconic ad bazaar, has stopped allowing U.S. users to access its "adult services" ads.On Saturday morning, the link to those ads - which had been criticized by prosecutors and human-trafficking groups as a tool for pimps and prostitutes - were replaced by a black box with the word "censored" in white letters. News reports indicated that the ads were still visible to users in other countries.
It's unclear, for now, whether the change is a temporary statement or a signal that Craigslist will stop allowing the ads.
3
They also removed the adult category from "Gigs" where it used to sit just below "Talent". No black censor bar, just removed.
5
Do you imagine that "Adult Service" providers will simply move their posts to "Casual Encounters"?
7
If the "adult services" were truly being offered by adults only, I could see this as a free speech issue. However, as a social worker who works with teens who've been commercially sexually exploited, I know full well that Craigslist (as well as backpage.com, and the Stranger's own Lustlab) are not only used by adults. I have several youth in my care right now who've been sold on all three of these websites. Until Craigslist comes up with a way to guarantee that no children will be exploited on their site, I fully support this move and the legal pressure that prompted it.
8
#7: yes, and now that craigslist no longer has the adult services section, exploitation of minors is over with forever, right?
Okay, I'm being snarky. There's been a 10% reduction? 5%? 1%? 0.0001%?
Tell me of the useless feel-good measures of your homeworld, Usul.
Okay, I'm being snarky. There's been a 10% reduction? 5%? 1%? 0.0001%?
Tell me of the useless feel-good measures of your homeworld, Usul.
9
@6
My thought as well. Craigslist is more a business than an online publication so I sympathize somewhat. They can't afford to take on the government and extreme right wing Moral Majority, hypocrites though they be. Still, it's not a happy situation; it's just consistent with America's Puritan blue nose traditions.
My thought as well. Craigslist is more a business than an online publication so I sympathize somewhat. They can't afford to take on the government and extreme right wing Moral Majority, hypocrites though they be. Still, it's not a happy situation; it's just consistent with America's Puritan blue nose traditions.
12
You guys clearly don't understand. If we stop prostitution advertising then prostitution will stop. It's common sense.
13
@12 exactly. if i were to provide a link about international sex trade, most people would still ignore blaming the guilty pimps. it's good business. why would we want "to change the attitudes of the public?"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/2…
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/2…
14
"Free speech rights are worth fighting for, people."
No one's free speech has been denied here, Craigslist is not owned by the government and taxpayers, they can do whatever they please. You sound like that moron Palin who thinks criticism denies her free speech rights.
You understand the difference between privately and publicly owned right? Like you have every right to stop me from writing 'Vince is a cock sucking, STD spreader' on your door but you don't have the right to stop me from writing that on my door.
"Free speech rights are worth fighting for, people."
No one's free speech has been denied here, Craigslist is not owned by the government and taxpayers, they can do whatever they please. You sound like that moron Palin who thinks criticism denies her free speech rights.
You understand the difference between privately and publicly owned right? Like you have every right to stop me from writing 'Vince is a cock sucking, STD spreader' on your door but you don't have the right to stop me from writing that on my door.
15
@14: But they are doing this because of fear of government prosecution, right? So yes, it's a free speech issue.
16
@14 - and I think you may be unclear on the difference between free speech and libel. "Cock-sucking, STD-spreading" isn't an opinion, it's either a fact or it isn't. If Vince can prove that he is no such thing, then you don't have the right to write it anywhere. You can say he's a jerk, or that you hate him, because those are your OPINIONS. But freedom of speech doesn't give youthe right to make a statement of fact that's demonstrably untrue. The defense for slander or libel would be that what you were saying was true. If you could prove that
both cock sucking and STD spreading had occurred, then you could write it anywhere you want.
both cock sucking and STD spreading had occurred, then you could write it anywhere you want.
18
Teamcanada, I know for a fact he's a STD spreading cock sucker.
And this is not a free speech issue, the government did not order craigslist go close off their kiddie hooker and STD funhouse section.
And this is not a free speech issue, the government did not order craigslist go close off their kiddie hooker and STD funhouse section.
19
"You may want to look into the concept of libel and slander."
You may want to look into the concept of satire, like posting a not a blog that you think Glen Beck sucks donkey dicks.
You may want to look into the concept of satire, like posting a not a blog that you think Glen Beck sucks donkey dicks.
21
Three cheers for our public servants, making the hard choices in order to remove problems from public visibility so we can all go on pretending the biggest issues in our little worlds are weeds in the garden and nothing good on TV. A little intimidation to squelch free speech and enterprise is surely a small price to pay to be able to pretend human trafficking and underage prostitution don't exist, right?
22
@21 I love all the pious bullshit about prostitution. For starters, forcing women back to the streets gets them assaulted and raped and even murdered. Usually by some "good Christian family man". It is consenting adults that should be able to advertise. And it is a free speech issue.
23
7/Bohemian Boy: Until Craigslist comes up with a way to guarantee that no children will be exploited on their site, I fully support this move and the legal pressure that prompted it.
People (like me) who are in favor of legalized prostitution don't want children being exploited, in the same way that people who think alcohol should be legal don't want children drinking (or adults driving drunk.) Furthermore, I would also like it if Craigslist had a way to guarantee that no children are exploited on their site.
However, even if Craigslist could guarantee this, that still wouldn't stop the sex cops from wanting to shut down their adult services section. Sex cops think it's wrong for mutually consenting adults to have sex for money. They want to keep prostitution illegal because of their sense of "morality", the same reason that marriage cops want to prevent same-sex marriage.
People (like me) who are in favor of legalized prostitution don't want children being exploited, in the same way that people who think alcohol should be legal don't want children drinking (or adults driving drunk.) Furthermore, I would also like it if Craigslist had a way to guarantee that no children are exploited on their site.
However, even if Craigslist could guarantee this, that still wouldn't stop the sex cops from wanting to shut down their adult services section. Sex cops think it's wrong for mutually consenting adults to have sex for money. They want to keep prostitution illegal because of their sense of "morality", the same reason that marriage cops want to prevent same-sex marriage.
27
The good news is you can still get mugged and robbed when you go to buy from furniture from a vendor in Shoreline.
That's Craiglist Quality!
28
@25: I agree, though I think it should be styled, "Will someone please think of the [anecdotal] children?!"
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
SL Letter of the Day: Life Sentence by Dan Savage
-
SL Letter of the Day: Daddy Loves Who? by Dan Savage
-
Required Listening: Howard Stern on Ellen, JC Penney, Bullied Gay Kids, Rosie, Santorum, Bachmann, et al by Dan Savage
-
Crowdsourcing Uncut Police Video from the Dec. 12 Occupy Protest at the Port of Seattle by Eli Sanders
-
The AP Is Reporting That Whitney Houston Is Dead by Paul Constant
-
State Legislator Testifies That His Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage Came to Him from a Commercial for Jack in the Box by Christopher Frizzelle
-
Slog Bible Study: Deuteronomy 21:10-14 by Goldy
-
"Let me be the first one to say: My business will refuse to participate in a same-sex marriage ceremony," by Republican Representative Matt Shea of the Spokane Valley by Eli Sanders
-
The Onion Is on a Roll: "Iran Worried U.S. Might Be Building 8,500th Nuclear Weapon" by Charles Mudede
-
"I don't know if I want to be here [if gay marriage passes]," by Republican State Senator Jay Rodne of North Bend by Eli Sanders
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (30) RSS