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04 September 2010

What are your own opinions on the pros and cons of the 'adult' sections of Craigslist? [More:]I've been on the site a lot recently because it's moving season in my college town (maybe I'll finally get a sewing machine so I can make that quilt).

Anyway, what's the story? I don't see anything on the website about it other than that big ole' CENSORED sign. What are your own opinions on the pros and cons of the now "CENSORED" 'adult' sections of Craigslist?
I'm down on them. I see a lot of cases involving use of Craigslist for child abuse. And a ton of it is for prostitution, too, which is not much less abusive as an industry.

I don't get why Craigslist doesn't want to get rid of the adult sections. They can't do without?
posted by bearwife 04 September | 19:44
I don't get why Craigslist doesn't want to get rid of the adult sections. They can't do without?

Craigslist charges $10 per ad and $5 per re-post. This NYTimes article cites a revenue estimate of $36M for adult services.

Anyway, I suppose whether or not you think Craigslist should allow adult services ads boils down to your view on prostitution.
posted by mullacc 04 September | 22:09
The ads just move to a different section. Do you believe that these ads are really for therapeutic massage? Here's another ad in the travel/vacation section.

It's silly to pick on craigslist; I can open my local phone book (the physical one) and see 3 pages of ads for escort services.
posted by desjardins 04 September | 23:06
On the one hand, Craigslist almost singlehandedly destroyed the Newspaper Classified Ads, so the Print Media (and anybody who still loves the Print Media) has a massive grudge against Craigslist.

On the other hand, the "Adult Services" ads were part of Craigslist's way of being counter-cultural, edgy, dangerous (hey, every 'Alternative' newspaper has poorly disguised sex ads - so there's another part of the Print Media losing business to Craigslist). But there comes a point where it gets too dangerous. And if they're fighting on principle, it's not a good looking place to stand their ground.

If I recall, the original idea of charging for Adult Services ads when most everything else was free was to provide a minimal barrier of entry (if anybody was doing anything really illegal, they wouldn't want to be traceable via the financial records). But it's a funny thing when you start charging for something for reasons other than a revenue source. In time, you inevitably start treating it as a revenue source. So, was Craigslist still fighting for it on principle? Yes and no.

Internet. It's serious (monkey) business.
posted by oneswellfoop 04 September | 23:58
All hopped up || Take me to this pool NOW

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