Back in 2009, Craigslist shutdown their Erotic Services section after law enforcement filed a suit claiming the section facilitated prostitution and other illegal activities, including aiding the Craigslist Killer. Because Craigslist “cannot, or will not” screen every free ad placed on the service, they replaced the Erotic Services section with the Adult section. This required posters to pay a $10 premium to place an ad and each ad required the approval of a real human before posting.
In October of 2009, a judge in Illinois ruled that Craigslist is not responsible for unlawful acts committed by their users. This makes it extremely odd that Craigslist would suddenly slap a Censored label on the Adult section and shut it down. I can’t help but draw a parallel to Prince’s struggle with his record label, where he changed his name to the love symbol and appeared with the word “slave” written on his cheek.
Is Craigslist trying to make some type of public statement? Because there is no legal reason why they should have shut down the adult section, many see this as some type of ploy. Just as Prince may have tried to make a statement about the oppressive tactics of his label, maybe Craigslist is trying to draw attention to their battle against the court of public opinion.
They have won the fight in the court room, but the battle rages on. Attorneys general and public advocacy groups continue to campaign against Craigslist’s adult content. An Aug 24th letter from 17 state attorneys general demanded that Craigslist close the section, alleging that it helps facilitate prostitution and the “trafficking of women and children.”
With such steep charges leveled in their direction, it’s easy to see why Craigslist may be taking drastic measures to protect their brand. These adult ads are projected to bring in $44.4 million for Craigslist this year, so shutting down the whole section is serious business. Craigslist has released no official statement or comment on the move.
Analysts say that if this is a temporary protest it could be dangerous for Craigslist. Many are taking this at face value and a reversal could bring a backlash against the company. Craigslist states that, even if the adult areas are closed off, adult content and ads will simply migrate to other areas. This could be the very point Craigslist is trying to make.