Craigslist Adult Services CENSORED! ACTA at work?

So today I was posting in services under the computer section, when I noticed that the adult section of CL was censored. "This is strange" I thought. I went to another city. SAME THING! I then googled it, and this is what comes up:

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.

CNN LINK

ACTA?

Also, I can't help but think that this is just the beginning of what is now going to be the way things are. So much for true freedom, even on the internet.

I agree with the comment of the destruction of Internet freedoms. The criminal elites - psychopaths, basically - at the top cannot stand free speech, they hate pointed criticism exposing their nefarious insider dealings.

They especially hate being remind that they are no better than anyone else, that a large part of the reason they are at the top is through their own criminal ruthlessness combined with sheer luck. They are unmedicated control freaks who deserve nothing but disgust and disdain.

They hate the Internet, hate humanity

reply to post by Nicorette


You hit the nail on the head sir... wish i could give you more stars... sadly not to many people are going to notice this till its already happened and too late to stop it..... i really wish more people would read and learn insted of watching tv (2 years no t.v. and i love it) i mean you can learn AANYTHING on the internet now even if your poor. but i dont think it will be that way much longer

That section of Craigslist has been "under fire" for awhile.

Hookers and those looking for them evidently use it. So cop's have been setting up stings all over catch both hookers and johns.

Every so often, someone turns up dead and the case discovers contact was established through that section of Craigslist..

Not to mention you get the occasional jerk of an ex-husband or boyfriend that will post ex-wifes address there, etc..

So, law enforcement has been wanting it shut down for awhile... if they finally got their way or if the guy that runs it is just trying to make a point - I dunno.

Craigslist didn't self censor. Craigslist was bullied by 18 state attorney generals into submitting or read here.

Now that these people have censored this under the guise of prostitution...next step would be going after dating websites then further ahead in line would be "extremist" websites, conspiracy websites etc etc You get the drift.

well darn !!
I guess there goes my weekend
entertainment !!!!
lol

It seems inappropriate to punish all of the people because of a few people committing crimes. From my understanding there were advertisements for meetings WITHOUT the prospect of prostitution. It was not PURELY a board for selling sex. So why not just censor the advertisements that promote illegal prostitution and keep the rest of the ads that are interested in sex without the additional currency/goods exchange?

I believe there were strippers selling services and as far as I am aware that is not illegal.

I read the attorney generals request and it was not that far fetched. They simply wanted Centralist to screen the advertisements posted on the site better. That seems like a reasonable request. Perhaps Craplist is going to adjust the website to reflect this better.

After all even ATS has stringent demands in regards to screening of posts made in the form of Moderators. It looks like Craplist will have to dig into that advertisement money and hire some Digital Janitors to take out the trash.

reply to post by lobo2099


Thank you. Very kind to say. Agree with you on the not watching TV thing, and keep at it! It's a complete waste of time.

To get back on topic, yes erotic services really - who has the right to regulate that? Provided some pimp is not standing in the background enslaving the woman (or man, as the case may be), there seems to be no reason to punish the sex workers, or the service carrying their news.

The US yellow pages are full of escort agencies. And DC politicians are their most frequent customers.

It has been years since adult services were not 99% spam. I was under the impression that no one really used it except for the obvious trick or treat w/ a good chance of coppus showing up. High volume hooking and spam spam spam. I'd rather go to a CnW saloon. Nonetheless you bring about awareness that yes, the xxx's are at work. It will naturally extend to interfering with any and all sayings that people say. I saw this at yahoo a few years back. It went from allowing absolute scathing remarks to quickly pulling anything that was seriously disruptive to a stock's way of being perceived. I used to rip on some of the usual suspect companies such as Boeing, Raytheon etc, and was pulled down but not before a few stars showed up.

Basically everything that needs to have been said has most likely been said. They have their lists, and we have ours. Perhaps we can learn to live without the free net, but this is like living without freedom. The free net is the same as our Constitution, in my opinion, and we know what 'they' have done to that. This is one of those things we have to look at no matter how painful. One day they will need our help, and they will not get it when it matters. As though we will one day come to love them for their ways and means, because they saw all the hatred for them, and worked to make it illegal.

Never Forget.

[edit on 4-9-2010 by davidmann]

Hmmmm.. One thing I thought I would add on here...
In florida.. There have been stings on Craiglist.. People in the adult sections are selling their children for sex..

These acts are just another nail in the coffin for people who have real use of this list..

I noticed this on the news 2 days ago..
They busted like 15 people trying to pay for sex with children..

And they said.. It all was stemming from Craigslist..

But really.. Who the helll sells their own children for sex?

Sounds like some kind of set up.. Or some kind of method to push an agenda..
Now Im not saying it doesnt happen...

But really... maybe Im out of touch with reality, as I just can't fathom a mom or dad selling their child for an hour or day, to grown men for sex..

Who knows.. but thought Id put this in here for your own reference if you wanted to dig deeper into all this..

Good luck.

THE bigger question that this begs an answer to is this: "WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE, AND WHO WILL MAKE THAT CALL?"

If they WERE bullied into censoring, and pulled the ads section, then what is next? 4Chan in the name of ILLEGAL pictures? Liveleak due to some guy posting an illegal video? Then YouTube when it's discovered some pedophile was watching children dance and play there? Who wouldn't get behind that right? It's for the good of many! You can see the picture I'm drawing....

I understand the social stigma associated with prostitution (which I disagree with) but why punish the small percentage of people who are only hurting themselves? Why have the section in the first place? What was it's purpose if not to advertise SEX for barter of some kind (money, trips, gifts). If we don't want that "seedy" part of CL, we just don't click there. Period.

What I would have done is make THAT section a members section of some kind, even doing what they currently do if you want to post in computer services: PHONE VERIFIED accounts. Maybe do that PLUS make it link to a debit card, or do verichecks, WHATEVER. There's a solution BESIDES "Let's just pull it" (cue Larry Silverstein).

It is just plain WRONG to censor a LEGAL part of the internet, because this is truly the last bastion of freedom, and they're taking it away little by little. This is just the beginning.

reply to post by zysin5


Actually - it wasn't someone selling their child for sex.. it was investigators that placed a fake ad for that and caught the guys that came looking.


15 arrested in Polk County Craigslist child-sex sting

The Polk County Sheriff’s office said the men were arrested after they responded to a Craigslist ad placed by investigators that claimed a parent or family member was offering sex with a young girl.

Heh - I wonder how much traffic the Polk County Sheriff's office generates there. Here's where they busted 44 in just a regular prostitution sting.

77-year-old man, pregnant woman, teen among dozens charged in prostitution sting

Polk County deputies arrested 44 people in connection with a suspected prostitution ring using online advertisements in the last week. Detectives used Craigslist and Backpage.com personal ads to solicit various sex acts for cash. When the suspects arrived to the set location, they were arrested on site, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

reply to post by Nicorette


Just blame the religious nut jobs. I want organized religion banned.

reply to post by bestideayet


reminds me of the movie Escape from LA and Demolition man all combined into one. This is how our world will continue to head if we don't stop falling for those damn gimmicks from politicians.

Suuuuuuure,


You were just posting under the " computer section" right ??

Riiiight, you lil boytoy.

I thought they did away with the whole dating section, I never even knew there was an erotic services section.

Let's be honest here, the only people posting there are probably prostitutes, .... which is illegal, .... so is it that much of a stretch to outlaw a section like that ??

What are they going to do about all the countless "escort sites" and stuff like that ??

How's a Gigalo supposed to make money in this damn town !!!!

reply to post by bestideayet

You can thank CNN to a certain extent they featured a story on Craigslist and sex services,the reporter harassed the founder of Craigslist and there were hooker sex slavery stories where these girls were advertised on Craigslist,this would of certainly heated things up.

reply to post by Frogs


Hey Frogs! Thanks for posting the linkage and facts for me!! Right right. I just remember hearing it on the news last week, and it made me sick to my stomach..

Good deal.. I hope those in that line of power catch as many of those suckers as possible!!!

Craiglist runs a gambit on what is right and what is wrong.. We know the line, and those that cross the line.
But those who deal in kiddie stuff, need to be outed, and need to be stopped reguardles..
Yet we do have to watchout that those dealings do not smear the line that is drawn thus far..

You have my thanks!
Zy5