Backpage.com respectfully declines the recent demand by a group of 21 state attorneys general that it close its adult classifieds website.
Backpage.com is a legal business and operates its website in accordance with all applicable laws. In response to concerns raised by the AGs in recent months, Backpage.com has increased its efforts to provide clear, legal rules to users who post classified ads and to ban users who violate those rules. While no system is perfect, even the AGs acknowledge Backpage.com's good-faith cooperation with law enforcement.
In the last two years, Backpage.com users have posted 58 million ads and only 6 million in the adult services section. Federal and state authorities have called on Backpage.com to testify in just five cases involving alleged abuse of underage persons. Backpage.com continues to respond to valid subpoenas from law enforcement officials whose job it is to investigate, apprehend and prosecute criminals who wrongfully post illegal ads and victimize others.
Backpage.com is disappointed that the AGs have determined to shift blame from criminal predators to a legal business operator in an apparent attempt to capitalize on political opportunity during the election season.
The Internet was born. The federal government enacted laws to regulate its use and to allocate responsibilities and immunities to web operators. Backpage.com follows those laws and it declines to censor an entire section of free speech from its website.
Censorship will not create public safety nor will it rid the world of exploitation.
All I can say is that's wonderful, so much for a free country! I'm extremely happy that someone has a backbone to stand up against these Hypocrites! Obviously another classified site didn't and I want to say thank you ! If we continue to let these vote seeking Politicians keep bullying us around we will become the next China before you know it! The home of the free what a joke! Guess it's a lot easier then them actually doing their jobs and going after the Criminals Committing the crime's ! Hats off to you Carl so many of us are behind you all the way!
ReplyDeleteI am glad backpage is taking this stance. Human Trafficking makes me sick, but shutting down backpage and craigslist is not going to help that at all. It will only make the problem worsse. Doesn't anyone see that???
ReplyDeleteBackpage and Craigslist worked with law enforcement to help find these jerks that traffic minors. It was probably the best way to get a lead to get to the source of a trafficking ring. Shutting backpage down won't stop traffickers, will only make them go more dangerous routes and be harder to catch.
I know this is been said before - but really - it has to be said again. If these AG's really cared about this probelm of traficking and minors, they would think a littler harder. Or maybe they know - and just don't care. Or reallyl JUST DON'T GET IT.
That's right Backpage don't back down like Craigslist. Dont let them stop your business just because they don't approve of it.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. :)
ReplyDeleteThat you for taking a stand against these power mongers and protecting free speech! If only CL had balls as big as yours.
ReplyDeleteIf this is true, why did Backpage remove the adult section from the state of CT?
ReplyDeleteAMEN AMEN AMEN... Craigslist bent over and took it in the ass from the politicians using this crusade to further their careers. Kudo's to Village Voice Media for telling these crusaders to fuck off :D
ReplyDeleteTry to be smart and shut down Adult classifieds. If you not, you are going to get big trouble. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you loose.
ReplyDeleteYou can't fight a political decision. Its like trying to fight with a bigger opponent, who has several big friends to help him. You are alone. You are weak. Accept it.
Awesome job Backpage staff, screw these politician fat cats who sit around stealing money from taxpayers. You'd think the AG retards would have better things to do than try to stop prostitution, especially considering its been around since the beginning of time. What a bunch of wackos!
ReplyDeleteVarious State Attorney Offices may have been (or might be) the "charity" that was gaining revenue (by way of "charitable contributions") from the sale of Craig's List advertisements for adult content... I checked on
ReplyDeletepurchasing (not a free post listing) a Craig's List advertisement:
I was told my credit card would be billed by a charity (for the price
of the adult content ad) and when I queried? what charity?!
The censorship of Craig's List adult entertainment (massage
escort, etc) isn't necessarily (entirely) just about what the
newspapers have disclosed. The issue doesn't seem to be one of adult content censorship alone or it might be to encourage (ultimately) legitimate advertisers to pay money for the advertising priviledges: because paying for advertisements rewards the advertising company
and insures future succuss for ads through the same source.
Free listings distract attention away from paid (paying advertisers)
for advertisements: and if you are/were a charity deriving income
from those that pay rather than only say...
It seems likely the Craig's List adult entertainment segment could make
a come-back but only for paying advertisers?! For charity's sake.
Very well said and done Backpage!
ReplyDeleteNow that the light of scrutiny is shining, you should make these attorney generals aware to keep doing their jobs and uphold the oaths they took.
Now that Richard Blumenthal is positioning himself for a run at the US Senate, he should be made VERY aware of the fact that the families of the 9/11 victims are demanding a new investigation into the events of that day.
Instead of Mr. Blumenthal running around sending letters for political points, why doesn't he use his bully pulpit to kick start the investigation these 9/11 families want?
FYI two wars have been fought due to the tragic events of that day YET there has never been a real investigation conducted. For goodness sakes! Bill Clinton's privates got a better funded investigation!
Every time Mr. Blumenthal opens his mouth Village Voice media needs to remind him to go after the real criminals that conducted 9/11 by fighting for a new investigation. Say it VERY loud and repeatedly and you'll see these vermin hide and cower in fear.
This is a golden opportunity for progressives that find the events of 9/11 very odd and the Government's official conspiracy theory full of holes. As the scrutiny increases so should the cries for a new investigation of 9/11.
This will have one of two effects on these political hacks. They will either get interested and back down on their un-American fishing expedition or they will just back down so as not to stir a hornet's nest of which they might even have inside information they'd rather not have disclosed.
"Censorship will not create public safety nor will it rid the world of exploitation."
ReplyDeletewell they tried it in China and look how that turned out - total oppression
I think Backpages philosophy on this is quite sound, "you can't get rid of the weeds by simply pulling them out of the ground" - one needs to get to the root of the problem in order to fix it!
If BackPage believes they have a right to maintain an adult ads section (which legally of course they do) then maybe the answer isn't to say- fuck you fat cat politicians- and then pat yourselves on the back for 'stickin it to the man' but to screen each advertised submission and eliminate ones that are obviously prostitution.
ReplyDeleteI'm not talking about just putting a filter on the words prostitution or sexy seven year olds, I mean all of the entries that say- my time will cost you 160 roses/kisses/diamonds/pearls, the posts where 8 different girls are photographed on the same hotel bed spread. Posts where age doesn't match. Posts that say 'in town for a short time only'. Posts that say 'you can't talk to me if you're a cop'. These are the signals of trafficking. Saying it's not your fault and doing nothing is definitely the American (Rich white male privileged) way but it's also despicable.
The issue at hand is about more than just censorship. Right now online advertisers have the legal right to host such ads. The question is, do they have a corporate (or even human) responsibility for the good of the people? If you don't want to shut down then make an effort and show people you give a damn. If you feel like you can be a tool for good (like so many people argue) then prove it. Enforce higher standards BackPage.
Thank you for standing up for free speech!
ReplyDeleteI post ads in the Body Rubs on Backpage and I also posted on Craigslist. My ads are very legal and I work from their home. Craigslist opened up a can of worms by signing contracts with law enforcement so they could put fake ads and entrap people. So law enforcement had proof for the illegal activities behind the ads. Backpage is smarter than that and won't sign contracts with law enforcement so they can put fake ads on their site and also entrap people because Backpage would find themselves in the same situation as Craigslist and law enforcement would have their proof. I'm thankful that Backpage is so SMART to tell law enforcement they have no proof and to leave them alone. I can stay in business with Backpage.
ReplyDeleteYou should have an area where people that have had bad experiences with a "professional model", escort etc. can post warnings to others. That way the other people can find out about bad apples in the adult entertainment world. We don't want anyone getting hurt for a profession that should be legalized.
ReplyDelete"The question is, do they have a corporate (or even human) responsibility for the good of the people?"
ReplyDeleteNo, the question is why the "feminists" of the world and the other "good" people constantly want to criminally harass women who operate of their own volition and INDEPENDENTLY (yes, even when they're "in town for a short time") and make up 95% or more of the adult market. If the women in the adult business COULD get a job that paid what they need to support a SINGLE HOUSEHOLD (hard to find Mr. Right under the best of circumstances, try finding him when you're an "ex-prostitute"). All these "woulda, coulda, shoulda" people should take a long hard look at what Wally World has done to the wages and quality of entry level jobs in this country (when you can find them) and what widespread greed has done to the rental market. Side by side compare the classifieds for rental apartments and entry level wages. Divide by the small number of employers who are going to consider a woman with a huge hole in her work history and possibly a criminal record (thanks to aforementioned "do gooders") for even an entry level job (in a recession where people with degrees and real resumes are fighting to get the crap jobs already). And then explain to the class exactly what the women in the adult business ARE supposed to do to put food in their mouths and a roof over their head. Maybe they could just do everyone a favor and off themselves. No, wait, that's illegal, too...
I just love this ivory tower theoretical BS. Just one day in the life of every suburbanite born with a silver spoon in their mouths, they should be required to live like the "other half" lives. Criminalizing the entire adult industry for the small percentage of instances in which someone is exploited or underage is like killing an ant with a tank. I'd love to see whatever industry puts food on the table of the high and mighty with their "keep prostitution illegal" arguments be battered away at from not only the condescending judgments of everyone in society leaving them marginalized and crying themselves to sleep for the rest of their lives, the clients who want to abuse and rape them (and get away with it since the law doesn't care), and then cap it all off with those who "protect and serve" hammering away at you from the other side (when they're not copping free feels before putting the cuffs on to keep this country "moral", that is).
In the men seeking men category, especially as an African American male, backpages has been a GREAT SUCCESS. I have meet many great men here on backpages and it contihues to be great.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the AG's along with the conservative ultra right is out to take away the freedoms of other people who want to meet people. I totally agree, trying to band sites like craiglist and backpage will only make the problem worse and the convervative right is out to take away the freedoms of individual people like myself from meeting people.
Those who blame backpages and craiglist for trafficing minors and sex predetors are nothing but in my opinon conservative, tea party, racist spies.
Keep up the GREAT WORK BACKPAGE. DON'T CAVE INTO THE CONSERVATIVE MINDED BASTEREDS WHO THEMSELVES HAVE PUT THE COUNTRY IN THE ECONOMY CRISS.
Dan Mosby
St. Louis, MO