Craigslist Founder Refuses to Close "Erotic Services" Section Because of Craigslist Killer
Craigslist Asked to Heighten Protections Against Potential Problems
In the wake of the bad publicity surrounding the investigation into a murder, a robbery, and the binding and holding at gunpoint of a Rhode Island stripper -- all alleged to be perpetrated by the Craigslist Killer, alleged to be Boston University medical student Philip Markoff -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal requested that Craigslist to take immediate action to photos in its "erotic services" section. He also asked that Craigslist hire staff to screen images and ads that are in violation of the website's terms of service and take measures to fine users found in violation.
Craig Newmark told ABC News Friday evening, "Sometimes a bad guy of some sort tries to pull a fast one on our site. We don't want it there, it's wrong, and that's why we have the help of the general community and the law enforcement community getting rid of things like that."
Craigslist has become the center of attention since the investigation found that a robbery and murder in Boston were connected through Craigslist advertisings. Both of the women were masseuses. Then the search for the Craigslist Killer intensified when a stripper was bound and held at gunpoint in nearby Warwick, Rhode Island. She admitted that she had agreed to meet a man through Craigslist.
According to the Associated Press, Philip Markoff was arrested Monday, April 20, during a traffic stop. He has been charged with the murder of Julissa Brisman and for robbery in the prior incident.
In what can be only called reverse investigating or using the suspect's own tools against him, authorities followed Philip Markoff's e-mail to his Internet Service Provider (ISP) address, which led to his residence, where they recovered a laptop, a firearm, restraints, and duct tape.
Suffolk County, Massachusetts, prosecutors have also placed an ad on Craigslist in hopes of finding others that may have been victimized via Craigslist and might have a bearing on the Craigslist Killer case. Police announced that they are not interested in prosecuting people for what might be illegal activities with regard to their usage of the Craigslist ads; they simply are attempting to make certain that they build the best case possible against Markoff.
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Source:
ABC News
Associated Press
Published by Saul Relative
WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,... View profile
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18 Comments
Post a CommentThis honestly doesn't really matter.. From past experience with Craigslist I've only found that it attracts a seedier shadier crowd. I've stopped using craigslist for that for over a year and have found that I make more money and find better clients using other sites geared to this genre. If you take a little time out of your day, I guarantee that you will find a site that will give you what you try to find there but always seem to lack. A site I'm closely watching right now is http://www.desirehire.com , I'm not exactly sure of what to expect from this site but the buzz in the industry is ridiculous. From what i know its being developed by a team that's been in the web and escort industry for over 10 years and their really pulling the stops out on this site. So thats an option when they open their doors in about a month or so.
If this had happend on the "personals" section of criagslist no one would be talking about the escort section. Anybody who meets anybody from online is putting them self in a risky position. And how can the government tell me what i can and cant do with my OWN body? and if craigslist does shut down the escort section their is just as popular backpages.com and even more popular the erotic review which goes deeper than craigslist giving out numbers and websites of escort girls and what services they provide and what clients experienced with her. why all the backlash on craigslist? why not everybody? I feel like id be more of a victim to a crime walking to my car at night than posting on craigslist.
I agree that craigslist is not responsible for the killing, but it does seem to openly be offering convenient advertising for outcall hookers. I love how everyone refers to the girls as "masseuses"--everyone that has seen these craigslist ads knows exactly what they were.
Brent, my friend, they cannot stop it. Anybody advertising anything can meet anybody buying anything and kill them. Therefore, holding Craigslist responsible is not the answer. They provide a service. A killer took advantage of that. But there is nothing illegal about said service. Think about it...
I don't like how this craigslist killer even got this far. How is it craigslist is not being held accountable for allowing this to happen? I am sure this is not the first time something like this has happened. I don't want to use craigslist anymore. A friend of mine suggested a different site called addanything dot com to use. They posted a message up there about the craigslist killer fiasco and their commitment to not allowing that to hapopen with their site.
Agreed, lowmax. If people are found to be doing this, they should be charged with whatever Massachusetts has on the books regarding operating without a license and fraud. And they may actually do that during stings and such. It would be interesting to find out...
Saul, My main concern is not morality, but the law. Why, if in the State of Massachusettes, a massage therapist must have a license and be registered by the state, are these people allowed to put in Craigslist ads representing themselves as massueses? It's not much different than somebody pretending to be a doctor.
And you, ken, need to learn that morality is subject to matters of perspective, community values, and traditional customs, including religious viewpoint. Morality is not ethics. Ethically, there is nothing wrong with a business transaction for sex. It is only when you put in social prejudices, most sponsored by religious doctrine that the act is unclean or that it goes against some type of male dominance sexual code, that immorality sets in. As for whether I condone or not, I neither condone prostitution nor do I deny that prostitution may have its social usefulness. I can see both sides. How obvious is what I condone now, o holier than thou ken?
I live in St Louis and it does not appear as a choice anymore but it did before
I was going to say what jcorn said.