With all the questions on the newbie board about CL, maybe this belongs there instead of here.  No especially earth-shattering revelations, but I did find this paragraph interesting, particulary the last sentence:

"Law enforcement officials ask why Craigslist even includes Erotic Services among its 191 categories. Mr. Buckmaster, the company president, said the site created that category “at the request of our users” for legitimate massage, escorts and exotic dancers. In an e-mail interview, he said that the police had praised the company’s cooperation, though he did not give examples."

They even have a nice quote from Ronald Weitzer, a researcher on prostitution at George Washington University.  Clearly I missed my true calling! LOL


-- Modified on 9/5/2007 3:31:13 AM

Interesting article.

I read awhile back that the reason CL has an Erotic services forum is because it allows a place to separate out paid services so as not to antagonise the very vocal cheapskates on CL forums.

Previously professional escorts where posting ads in other forums such as massage and the personals and it was upsetting the civies and prudes.

It's just sad that LE is following the biz into cyperspace.  Online our hobby is out of sight and much less of a problem for the public than if girls were on street corners.

And yet while violent crime is rampant across America, LE devots huge amounts of time to arrest girls and men for misdemeanors that often cost less to dismiss than a speeding ticket.

Sigh,
TS Jamie  

I wonder if some of the editorial impetus for these stories is because CraigsList is having a significant impact on the classified advertising revenue of newspapers.  

You look at any alternative weekly and the classified section has plenty of escort ads as do the yellow pages.  I can't recall ever reading a story about these businesses.


... and just in case you are wondering, I really do believe Elvis is dead