Craigslist founder refuses to close 'erotic' section of his site

[ecstatic]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The founder of Craigslist does not plan to close the "erotic services" section of the Web site despite criticism that has intensified after a medical student was accused of killing a Boston masseuse who advertised there.

Craig Newmark contends his site already allows users to flag inappropriate material they believe should be removed.

"Sometimes a bad guy of some sort tries to pull a fast one on our site," he said in an interview that aired Friday night on ABC News. "We don't want it there, it's wrong, and that's why we have the help of the general community and the law enforcement community getting rid of things like that."

Newmark's comments defied a request by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who asked Craigslist to immediately eliminate photographs in the "erotic services" section, hire staff to screen images and ads that violate the site's terms of service and fine users who violate those terms.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090425/ap_on_re_us/us_craigslist_killing

Should the erotic section of Craigslist be closed?

[rucky]

1. I said "no", because the erotic content will just move to other sections.

best to keep it in one place on a board that self-moderates.

[Dappleganger]

10. Which is what they've done with the pet 're-homing' (what a joke).

We all know how effective that's been--people on my local CL advertise regularly for $300 and up for their byb mutts.

As for the sex ads those will never stop. There's really nothing they can do.

[Chuckleberry]

2. People die on the street sometimes. Close the streets?

I am against any blame placed on Craigslist for this.

[cutlassmama]

11. Agreed. n/t

[Ian David]

3. See also: The Young Republican Killer

http://tinyurl.com/TheCraigsListKiller

http://tinyurl.com/YoungRepublican

http://tinyurl.com/YoungRepublicanKiller


And:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8364484

and

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5531250&mesg_id=5531250

[madrchsod]

4. the site is allows users to flag...

ever been to the auto for sale or the pets for sale? flag heaven

[Warren Stupidity]

5. "immediately eliminate photographs"

because of course without the pictures this sick individual would never have committed the crime.

It is the BURKHA THEORY of sex crime motivation. If we could just get those damn women to cover up the poor men wouldn't be driven by lust to criminal behavior.

[Fumesucker]

6. Eh, we all know how few sex crimes happen in places where the burqua is required.

Oh, wait..

[Forkboy]

7. This is just scapegoating.

Millions of people use sites like Craigslist and Myspace for things not related to sexual crimes. This is no different than blaming comic books, video games or movies for the world's ills.

[msongs]

8. why shut off kids' access to free porn just cuz of some serial killers? nt

[DBoon]

9. if you are a money-losing competitor to Craigslist...

Say you are a newspaper that realizes people no longer pay to run classified ads

Or you run a for-profit Web site that would love to take Craiglist's business

it is very convenient to spread FUD about how Craigslist enables crime