So it seems that Craigslist has lost it. After facing some intense scrutiny fr0m a group of media-hungry attorneys general and prosecutors including Gloria Allred, CEO Jim Buckmaster has decided to throw in the towel for freedom of speech. The site’s former “Erotic Services” section is now “Adult Services,” where users must pay a $10 fee for each new posting and $5 for each renewal post, and are subject to manual screenings by Craigslist staff.
Supposedly this is Buckmaster’s response to the AG’s allegations that Craiglist is an online brothel or hub for prostitution, after the recent murder of masseuse Julissa Brisman by Boston University medical student Philip Markoff in April. The student allegedly connected with Brisman after seeing her ad under Erotic Services. Ironically, Buckmaster’s decision seems to garner little support from the parties it was meant to appease, as Buckmaster made the changes overnight without consulting state officials. He claims the move was not made under any legal pressure.
I have no issue with the attempt to prevent illegal activity on a widely used website, however futile. I do take issue with the implications that this decision has for the privacy of the user, as well as for freedom of speech. I have a serious issue with the stench of hypocrisy and cowardice that wafts from this scenario. Rather than continuing to rely upon Craiglist users to mitigate content and report abuses in order to maintain an environment of FREE, PRIVATE exchange, Jim Buckmaster has foregone the original integrity of his site just to avoid tough questions, and more importantly, add to his bottom line.
Here’s my bottom line: Whatever happened to Craigslist’s original message of a noncommercial, non-corporate online community, where adults have the freedom to post whatever they want and look for whatever they want and need from other adults? Without the hassle and expense of traditional ad-posting fees? Thankfully, sites like erotichire.com offer posting opportunities similar to the former Erotic Services section on Craigslist, but without any political dogma or corporate fat-cat fees attached. We claim to no longer live in a Puritanical society, and should start proving it. Erotichire.com is an online community where mature, independent adults can post their legal, erotic services FOR FREE.
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