How long before Craigslist is forced to shut down its Personals section?

Hugabear

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Sat Sep-04-10 11:33 PM
Original message

How long before Craigslist is forced to shut down its Personals section?

If you really want to see some crazy stuff, peruse the m4m Personals section of Craigslist. Of course, the vast majority of these ads have nothing to do with prostitution, they're just a bunch of people wanting to get their freak on. I'm curious to see if this will become the next Craigslist target. After all, we just can't allow bi and gay men to have fun, can we? :sarcasm:

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Stinky The Clown

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Sat Sep-04-10 11:37 PM
Response to Original message

1. "Consenting adults" has lost a bit more of its meaning.

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jberryhill

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Sun Sep-05-10 12:21 AM
Response to Original message

2. Solicitation and Pandering are illegal in most states

I'm guessing there is some general notion that the AG's have been seeking to shut down the prostitution ads because prostitution is illegal.

Most states have separate solicitation and pandering statutes - and that's the issue with craigslist. Solicitation and pandering are crimes of communication which are not First Amendment protected speech. That is the issue.

Why do you think anyone is interested in going after the personal ads?

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Hugabear

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Sun Sep-05-10 11:55 AM
Response to Reply #2

3. Obscenity

I could easily imagine some right-wing AG's going after the personal ads on obscenity grounds. Same reason they go after adult entertainment businesses.

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jberryhill

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Sun Sep-05-10 01:34 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. I doubt it

In actual reality, instead of the fevered imagination of some here, they are applying solicitation and pandering statutes.

There is nothing obscene about prostitution solicitations.

http://www.examiner.com/city-hall-in-chicago/cook-county-sheriff-tom-dart-takes-on-craigslist-for-solicitation-of-prostitution

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart takes on Craigslist for solicitation of prostitution

----
And under some state laws, collecting money from prostitutes for advertising their services is pandering/pimping.

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Hugabear

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Sun Sep-05-10 04:20 PM
Response to Reply #4

6. You asked me why they would go after the personal ads on Craigslist

There are quite a few of the m4m ads in the personals section that right-wingers would easily consider obscene. As I said, these would be the same types of people who have been going after strip clubs, adult videostores, and other adult businesses. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see them go after the personal ads section next. Not necessarily forcing CL to shut it down completely like they did with the adult services, but to "clean it up" and sanitize it.

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jberryhill

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Sun Sep-05-10 05:31 PM
Response to Reply #6

7. "right wingers"

First off, this was a joint action by AG's in 17 states including Coakley of MA, who is anything but a right winger.

Secondly, you'll find just as many, if not more, folks on the left who have a problem with porn as on the right.

But the thing with the prostitution ads had nothing to do with obscenity whatsoever, so why you think they are related. Government does plenty of stupid things without having to make stuff up.

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Edweird

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Sun Sep-05-10 01:36 PM
Response to Original message

5. Getting your freak on pro bono is legal.

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