Attorneys general credited the San Francisco company with making progress in trying to drive sex-for-sale activity from the online bazaar, where millions of people congregate daily to buy houses and haircuts, sofas and swim lessons. They said that reducing the number of potentially illegal advertisements on such a popular website would create considerable obstacles for those looking to find or sell prostitution services. Gen Lisa Madigan, a leading crusader against the erotic services section.
But rather than ease the general problem of prostitution, experts said, the cleaning up of Craigslist could complicate it. The primary law that the sex trade follows is that of supply and demand, said Lt. Though he lauded Craigslist for its cooperation, Ballas noted that plenty of smaller, more narrowly focused websites for peddling prostitution remained -- sites that were further off the beaten path and tougher for law enforcement to monitor.
Craigslist Chief Executive Jim Buckmaster said in an interview that the site had come to the decision after carefully weighing input from law enforcement, users, legitimate online businesses and free speech advocates.
Law enforcement officials have often complained about the ease with which prostitutes and their clients can arrange encounters on the site, which lists free and paid ads for a wide range of services in more than cities worldwide.
But officials have stepped up their criticism since the slaying of masseuse Julissa Brisman, whose body was found April 14 in a Boston hotel. Police say the killer found her through a Craigslist ad. Weitzer worries more about whether the intense spotlight on Craigslist cast by the Boston killing could be distracting attention from deeper harms that haunt the sex trade.
