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Jim Buckmaster runs Craigslist, which stepped up screening of listings. |
Craigslist changes get early approval
But advocates wait to see if sex ads make a return
More than two weeks after Craigslist eliminated its "erotic services" section, law-enforcement officials say the classifieds website has reduced much of the objectionable content but it is too early to tell whether the new screening system will work long term to prevent prostitution and other sexual solicitations on the site.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Craigslist has "made some progress in blocking the most flagrant prostitution and pornography ads but continued prodding and pressure is appropriate."
Late last month, Blumenthal and attorneys general from six other states asked Craigslist for details on how it will keep prostitution off its newly created adult services section. Craigslist recently took down erotic services ads and promised to screen every listing posted to a new adult services section manually. The change was prompted by increasing scrutiny after Boston University medical student Philip Markoff was charged with killing Julissa Brisman, whom police say he met through the erotic services section on Craigslist. Markoff has pleaded not guilty to charges that include armed robbery and murder.
"We've seen a significant change in the number and types of postings, with ads being much less graphic than before, but we plan to continue to closely monitor the site to determine if more needs to be done," said Natalie Bauer, a spokeswoman for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Craigslist officials did not return repeated messages seeking comment.
Mark Lagon, executive director of the Polaris Project, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating child trafficking and enslavement, said it is encouraging that "the longstanding hazard for sex trafficking on Craigslist erotic services section has been eliminated. But the question is whether the same thing is going to exist with just a different label."
Over the past two weeks, Lagon said he has noticed the volume of ads in the new adult services section appears to have decreased. But the screened postings that appear still have code words suggesting sexual solicitations, he said.
On an April Wednesday, more than 150 ads were posted on Craigslist's erotic services section in Boston, and many made openly sex-related offers. One South Shore women promoted "Sexy Busty and Ready to Play!" Some people posted hourly rates or naked photographs of themselves taken in a mirror.
Last Wednesday, about 100 ads were posted on the adult services section in Boston. The photos were provocative, showing cleavage and scantily clad women, but none appeared to be fully naked. Some postings had thinly veiled references for sex offers, including one titled "*$~THE BADDEST ON THIS SITE~$! " by "Nena," who tells readers to "ask about my wonderful 2 girl special." One woman's ad says: "All I need is 30 mins To make your lunch time memorable."
Despite the recent drop in the number of listings, which cost $10 each to post ($5 for reposting), Craigslist is unlikely to suffer long term, according to Jim Townsend, editorial director and principal of the AIM Group and Classified Intelligence. That's because Craigslist previously contributed 100 percent of the net revenues for the erotic services category to charity. But since eliminating that section, Craigslist chief executive Jim Buckmaster posted on his blog, "We are making no representation regarding how revenue from the 'adult services' category will be used."
Keeping the revenues from the adult services section could bring at least $10 million in additional money to the company, Townsend projected.
"The ads are being vetted and people are maybe more careful about what they say and what kind of graphic images they're posting, but people are still taking ads," Townsend said.
Jenn Abelson can be reached at abelson@globe.com. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
