Adult services censored on Craigslist
By the CNN Wire Staff
September 4, 2010 9:44 a.m. EDT
The Craigslist website has been under fire for allegations that it promotes prostitution.
(CNN) -- Embattled online classified service Craigslist apparently made a change to its website early Saturday, censoring its adult services section.
The section that usually reads "adult services" was replaced by the word "censored."
It was not immediately clear whether Craigslist removed the adult services and replaced them with the "censored" section that had a link that was not active. But for users who accessed the account outside the U.S., the erotic services link was still active.
Craigslist representatives were not immediately available for comment.
The website has been under fire for allegations that it promotes prostitution.
Last week, attorneys general in 17 states banded together to urge Craigslist to discontinue its adult services.
"The increasingly sharp public criticism of Craigslist's Adult Services section reflects a growing recognition that ads for prostitution -- including ads trafficking children -- are rampant on it," the attorneys general said in a Tuesday letter to Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster and Founder Craig Newmark.
A Craigslist spokeswoman said at the time that the site agreed with at least some of the letter.
"We strongly support the attorneys general desire to end trafficking in children and women, through the Internet or by any other means," said Susan MacTavish Best, who handles press inquiries for Craigslist.
"We hope to work closely with them, as we are with experts at nonprofits and in law enforcement, to prevent misuse of our site in facilitation of trafficking, and to combat such crimes wherever they appear, online or offline."
In their letter, the attorneys general highlighted an open letter, which appeared as a Washington Post ad, in which two girls said they were sold for sex on Craigslist.
When the ad came out, Buckmaster wrote a blog post in response that said, "Craigslist is anxious to know that the perpetrators in these girls' cases are behind bars."
The letter also highlighted a report in May by CNN's Amber Lyon, who posted a fake ad for a girl's services in the adult section. She received 15 calls soliciting sex in three hours.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who in recent years has been pushing for Craigslist to clean up its adult section and spearheaded the letter from the attorneys general, said the group was trying to reach Craigslist representatives to figure out the recent change to the website.
Earlier this month, Lyon interviewed a woman named "Jessica" who sells sex on Craigslist. The woman said a Craigslist ad was "the fastest, quickest way you're for sure going to see somebody that day."
In a later blog, Buckmaster said Craigslist implemented manual screening of adult services ads in May 2009.
"Since that time, before being posted each individual ad is reviewed by an attorney."
He said the attorneys are trained to enforce Craigslist's posting guidelines, "which are stricter than those typically used by yellow pages, newspapers, or any other company that we are aware of."
Attorneys general from Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia made the request a week after accused "Craigslist killer" Philip Markoff committed suicide in jail.
Markoff was charged with the April 2009 killing of Julissa Brisman. Boston Police said that Brisman, a model, advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist, and Markoff might have met her through the website.
In 2008, under pressure from state prosecutors, the website raised the fees for posting adult services ads. In 2009, it started donating portions of the money generated by adult ads to charity.
A CNN investigation of Craigslist's adult services section, which replaced "erotic services ads" two years ago, counted more than 7,000 ads in a single day.
Many offered thinly veiled "services" for anything from $50 for a half-hour to $400 an hour.
By the CNN Wire Staff
September 4, 2010 9:44 a.m. EDT
The Craigslist website has been under fire for allegations that it promotes prostitution.
(CNN) -- Embattled online classified service Craigslist apparently made a change to its website early Saturday, censoring its adult services section.
The section that usually reads "adult services" was replaced by the word "censored."
It was not immediately clear whether Craigslist removed the adult services and replaced them with the "censored" section that had a link that was not active. But for users who accessed the account outside the U.S., the erotic services link was still active.
Craigslist representatives were not immediately available for comment.
The website has been under fire for allegations that it promotes prostitution.
Last week, attorneys general in 17 states banded together to urge Craigslist to discontinue its adult services.
"The increasingly sharp public criticism of Craigslist's Adult Services section reflects a growing recognition that ads for prostitution -- including ads trafficking children -- are rampant on it," the attorneys general said in a Tuesday letter to Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster and Founder Craig Newmark.
A Craigslist spokeswoman said at the time that the site agreed with at least some of the letter.
"We strongly support the attorneys general desire to end trafficking in children and women, through the Internet or by any other means," said Susan MacTavish Best, who handles press inquiries for Craigslist.
"We hope to work closely with them, as we are with experts at nonprofits and in law enforcement, to prevent misuse of our site in facilitation of trafficking, and to combat such crimes wherever they appear, online or offline."
In their letter, the attorneys general highlighted an open letter, which appeared as a Washington Post ad, in which two girls said they were sold for sex on Craigslist.
When the ad came out, Buckmaster wrote a blog post in response that said, "Craigslist is anxious to know that the perpetrators in these girls' cases are behind bars."
The letter also highlighted a report in May by CNN's Amber Lyon, who posted a fake ad for a girl's services in the adult section. She received 15 calls soliciting sex in three hours.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who in recent years has been pushing for Craigslist to clean up its adult section and spearheaded the letter from the attorneys general, said the group was trying to reach Craigslist representatives to figure out the recent change to the website.
Earlier this month, Lyon interviewed a woman named "Jessica" who sells sex on Craigslist. The woman said a Craigslist ad was "the fastest, quickest way you're for sure going to see somebody that day."
In a later blog, Buckmaster said Craigslist implemented manual screening of adult services ads in May 2009.
"Since that time, before being posted each individual ad is reviewed by an attorney."
He said the attorneys are trained to enforce Craigslist's posting guidelines, "which are stricter than those typically used by yellow pages, newspapers, or any other company that we are aware of."
Attorneys general from Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia made the request a week after accused "Craigslist killer" Philip Markoff committed suicide in jail.
Markoff was charged with the April 2009 killing of Julissa Brisman. Boston Police said that Brisman, a model, advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist, and Markoff might have met her through the website.
In 2008, under pressure from state prosecutors, the website raised the fees for posting adult services ads. In 2009, it started donating portions of the money generated by adult ads to charity.
A CNN investigation of Craigslist's adult services section, which replaced "erotic services ads" two years ago, counted more than 7,000 ads in a single day.
Many offered thinly veiled "services" for anything from $50 for a half-hour to $400 an hour.
