A.G. applauds Craigslist decision to end erotic service ads

Attorney General Rob McKenna, who earlier worked on a settlement with Craigslist to combat illegal erotic service ads, just sent out a release applauding the listing web site for removing all “erotic service” ads.

Craigslist — a mostly free, worldwide online listing service — has hosted an “erotic service” section on its site that has long drawn the ire of attorneys general, who say it is mainly used for prostitution. More than 40 of those AGs negotiated a deal with Craigslist last year that required a valid phone number and credit card for each listing, allowing law enforcement officers to track down those who were breaking the law more easily.

But the section of the site has gotten attention in recent weeks after some high-profile killings in which the victim was found through Craigslist’s erotic services section.

Now, the site has scrapped the section altogether. Instead, they’ll have an “adult services” section, and each post will be reviewed by a Craigslist employee.

From the release: “This change should significantly reduce the blatant misuse of Craigslist’s online classified ad service to promote prostitution,” McKenna said. “It will only be successful if Craigslist follows through on its promise to actively monitor its site for illicit images and messages. If Craigslist does follow through, it will help state attorneys general and our law enforcement partners as we fight sexual exploitation to make our communities safer.”

Tags: Attorney General, craigslist, prostitution