Craigslist CEO Responds to Prostitution Lawsuit

[JMcEntegart]

Last week a Sheriff in Chicago filed a lawsuit against Craigslist alleging the classifieds site was "facilitating prostitution." Craigslist CEO, Jim Buckmaster has said the suit is a waste of time and claims the site is protected by federal law.

Craigslist CEO Responds to Prostitution Lawsuit : Read more

 

[m3kt3k]

AHHH whats my friend Travis gonna do.. Well he was busted and aressted but at least the hooker was hot. But more to the point. Its not just the content its the fact that Craigslist has a Section for it. If they dropped erotic services (services implies money is exchanged and erotic implies ima getten me some) and let the hookers post in the normal looking for love (or the clap) area they would be fine.

 

[Turas]

Yeah but naked swedish maids are under that section too and that is not illegal.

 

[Pei-chen]

Like HD-DVD, Craiglist is banking on adult services to stay alive.

 

[TwoDigital]

"Erotic services" are legal. Prostitution is NOT legal in most of the US and Europe... I can't say what the law may say in other parts of the world. Craig's list is offering merely a place for services which are legal to be bought/sold. They aren't breaking any laws.

Why can't people be made to take responsibility for their OWN actions instead of trying to make someone else the guardian? Going after Craig's list for giving people a place to post nefarious services is the same as Cook County suing ITSELF for providing a public sidewalk where the prostitutes are actually standing to offer their wares.

 

[warezme]

their wares..., LOL! I agree though.

 

[zerapio]

[citation][nom]TwoDigital[/nom]Going after Craig's list for giving people a place to post nefarious services is the same as Cook County suing ITSELF for providing a public sidewalk where the prostitutes are actually standing to offer their wares.[/citation]
Beautiful analogy!!!

 

[hellwig]

Local newspapers run these kinds of ads too, remember, anyone can offer sex for money, the crime only happens when the money is actually exchanged. Since Craig's List is free, no money changes hands, therefore Craig's List can't be held liable. Were Craig's List being paid to host these advertisements, then it could be said they were profiting from illegal activeties, but they aren't

That said, too many sherrif's are making the news as of late. These elected officials juts need to do their job. The better they are at their job, the less they should be in the news.

 

[Guest]

Hmm it kinda smells like the same thing TPB is going thru at the moment...

 

[jwl3]

I watched MSNBC's special on trafficked women and it was horrifying. These pimps kidnap and force women to do these things and advertise regularly on Craig's list. I know they're only a media forum, but they cannot hide behind the first amendment when the lives of countless victims are at stake. At the very least, they need to remove ads that promote escort services and prostitution. I always wondered how escort services are legal when prostitution on the street clearly is not. Americans need to realize the problem is not the women, it's the scum enslaving them and the men using them.

 

[maaksel]

Go figure... this seems a lot like the pirate bay case. "You cannot hold us responsible for what our users do".

On one hand, its like saying Gun's Kill people... and matches start forest fires right?

If they're nailing TPB for this, then they should nail Craigslist as will.

Left hand, meet right hand.

 

[Claimintru]

Wow JWL3 who knew Craigslist was the hub of human trafficking. Because you saw something on the discovery channel about it, doesn't mean it should become your crusade. Get over it

 

[Guest]

Prostitution is legal in most of Europe. What's illegal is the existance of a pimp.

 

[Marcus Yam]

[citation][nom]justme2[/nom]Hmm it kinda smells like the same thing TPB is going thru at the moment...[/citation]
The defense actually used something like this as an example. They likened the pirate bay to be like an open forum like craigslist, but that it couldn't be held responsible for any of the child pornography that could be exchanged through it.

 

[tenor77]

Why didn't anyone tell me about this!!!!
I'm off to craigslist

 

[nekatreven]

"hey there baby do you need to be" ...oh, sorry.

I thought I was already there.

 

[rooket]

I know I'll get -20 for this comment, but Craigslist is a cesspool. It isn't just about the erotic services. You have to be very careful and weary about who you deal with on this site. I have made a few purchases and sales on there and most people are very strange that I have met. One guy was pretty decent though and I still communicate with him from time to time.

One thing I also don't like is that if you're looking for a small item that can easily be shipped, most of the time people on there want local pick up only. So say your item is about 100 miles away sure you could drive to it but it'd be cheaper to just send it via USPS and use paypal. Ebay has a lot of advantages over this site. More legitimate people, less weirdos, and better buyer/seller protection.

 

[knightmike]

I know a few women that advertise on craigslist. Craigslist now charges $5 per erotic service ad. And to the cops: Stop wasting your time on prostitution and weed and try to prevent murders instead of just investigating them.

 

[TwoDigital]

[citation][nom]knightmike[/nom]Craigslist now charges $5 per erotic service ad.[/citation]
Hadn't heard that... In any case, it's still not against the law to sell 'erotic services' (this doesn't include sex for $$$ because THAT is illegal in their county.) I would advise the prostitute-tracking cops to maybe do a sting operation or something. Advertising a legitimate service and advertising sex for money are very much NOT the same thing (no matter how close some may view them.)

 

[russofris]

It's about the money folks. Law "enforcement" is big business. If Caigslist were breaking the law, they'd be charged. Since they're not, It appears that the Sheriff is filing a civil case... for money. The Sheriff doesn't want to stop prostitution, he wants money. Plain and simple.