Civil contempt charges for Backpage in Senate's child prostitution probe

The online ads site says it has safety measures in place to prevent
child sex trafficking, but child advocates say it's the most popular
site for pimps.

By Molly Jackson, Staff MARCH 20, 2016

The Senate voted 96-0 on Thursday to pursue civil contempt charges for Backpage, one of the country's largest classified ads sites, for refusing to appear at a child sex trafficking hearing in November and turn over requested business documents.

As many as 71 percent of suspected child trafficking reports involved Backpage, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, making it a key player in officials' attempts to track pimps as they take victims off the streets and the web. Web-based prostitution is easier for pimps to disguise, helping them evade law enforcement, but advocates believe the right precautions could make a significant dent in the trafficking business.

CEO Carl Ferrer failed to appear at a November hearing before the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which had subpoened him to study whether Backpage's "moderation" safety protocols were sufficient to protect minors.

"The aim of my and Senator McCaskill's investigation is straightforward: We want to understand how lawmakers, law enforcement, and even private businesses can more effectively combat this serious crime that thrives on an online black market," Chairman Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) told Congress on Thursday. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) is the Subcommittee's Ranking Member.

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