So I'm happy that TER is back and available to US based folks. I've missed it. However, it begs the question - what's different? Why is it able to be back?

Anyone have any answers?

Thanks!

I'm sure TER has very good lawyers who advised them to take the site down after FOSTA-SESTA passed. But lawyers have blinders on. They only advise on the legal ramifications of a law, not the real life practicalities.
Fosta-Sesta is a FEDERAL law. As such it can only be enforced or prosecuted by US Attorneys in federal courts. While there are thousands and thousands of city attorneys, county attorneys and states attorneys, they cannot prosecute cases in violation of Fosta-Sesta.
In contrast, there are less than 100 US Attorney district offices in the entire country. They have a tremendous number of cases to prosecute as it is. They don't like to prosecute cases based on flimsy and speculative evidence. They want winners so they can look good on the year-end stats.
Fosta-Sesta cases would have to be tried in federal courts which have a big backlog of cases. Federal judges would frown upon frivolous cases filed in their courts. Also, federal judges are fiercely independent. They have lifetime jobs so they do not have to kowtow to federal prosecutors. City, county and state judges are elected for the most part so they have to consider their local govermnents when makimg their rulings.
That's why I think TER came back. The risk of being prosecuted under Fosta-Sesta is very slim. If it were me, I'd think the reward would be worth the risk that US attorneys would try to "make a federal case out of it". In fact, some savvy entrepreneur might want to consider buying the CV domain name. It's for sale for the bargain price of 1.375 million.

TER makes good money and nobody is going to leave that kind of money on the table.

TER like other sites in this community found the loopholes and talked to their lawyers before opening the site back up.

I'm pretty sure they just aren't relying on overworked prosecutors to save them from prosecution.  It's more likely they have cleaned up any financial ties to the USA -- putting them out of reach.

on TV. I haven't stayed in a Holiday Inn either. I have an opinion though. I think as someone has posted above TER took the time to explore options and courses of action to stay out of trouble and continue to operate as the had before, then acted on what they learned. I read (scanned through) the stuff we click "agree" to so we can log on before trying to log on about a week ago. (I did scan it when I joined TER about 10 years ago.) I noted this time it  mentions Cypress and laws of Cypress many times. I don't recall that from before but it has been a long time ago so maybe I'm wrong

Many times in the past posters here have said TER is in the Netherlands. I don't know. The references to Cypress are why I think TER is now up an running again in the U.S.

-- Modified on 12/29/2019 1:10:15 PM

Of course that's really easy to do from the sidelines when it's the other guy looking at decades in prison if they miscalculate.  

 
That said, I agree that TER must have taken a long hard look at what they were up against, transferred venue, or at least ownership to Cyprus from Tulipland, and decided that the reward was worth the risk.  

 
BTW if anyone cares to, just look at the bottom of any page and you will see the new "human trafficking policy" and "Law Enforcement" tabs that have been added recently. I don't know if they are going to be any more effective that the average hooker's claim that donations are for "time and companionship only" but TER has obviously had plenty of time to mull over their options and I don't think that any of us who were not in the room can really second guess them for the decisions that they have made. I am personally just happy to see things getting back to normal and one of those things are seeing people like yourself finding their way back here. Welcome back fucker. The Newbie board misses you too, especially since Perfect Storm hasn't seemed to have been able to find his way back here yet.

-- Modified on 12/29/2019 12:44:59 PM

I think the human trafficking disclaimers are whistling past the graveyard.

They appear to be trying to appeal to the courts and others in LE that if asked for help they will cooperate to there full extent. Read the privacy policy also. Also the data collection part. Not that it helps were BP cooperated and was appreciated by some of the LE agencies helping them bring down bad players. But they were in the US and are still fighting that case.

END OF MESSAGE

Seems to imply Cyprus..  

"No Excuses Agents LTD has many channels available to receive reports of possible violations of policy. However, given the immediacy of our notification requirements to the Cyprus government, "

END OF MESSAGE

The politicians only had ONE website in mind when they knee-jerk passed that asinine legislation. Once that website is gone, they devoted their attention to more mundane things, like getting re-elected in perpetuity and switching the current party with the other one. That website had it coming though. They were too high profile, and they either knowingly or unwittingly allowed bad actors to post criminal ads. Sure, some will argue that they also had a track record for cooperating with LE, but it was too little, too late. The rest of the industry, by an overabundance of caution, naturally had to re-think their strategies when the minefield was active and hot. It's been almost two years now, and it does not look like the bullseye has been aimed at another player.

Just be glad TER is back, and hopefully, here to stay.

Dont know if this is being a front by the US just to get us members get complacent and then ... hopefully not.

I've seen this concern expressed, but am skeptical. Maybe I'm missing something, but that scenario would require a significant commitment of resources to gain info of questionable value for LE. Note that the USG can probably access any info they want from here or anyplace else around the world for intelligence purposes.  
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For something to be usable in a US court, they'd have to admit, "hey, we got this evidence on this john/provider/agency by operating an escort review site for several years."  The reviews are all after-the-fact, and TER never was a major advertising venue, so it wouldn't be very useful for proactively setting up stings, etc.

and who are you calling fucker! Oh, wait, yeah I guess I am.😁

BTW, I hope you don't mind, but I have been leading the charge to draft you as Newbie Host if PS doesn't resurface soon.

 
And don't even try that "if nominated I will not run, if elected I will not serve" I've already played that card. It's your turn in the barrel if PS doesn't come back. lol

does that mean there will be more providers here who speak "greek."  Lol