In the backwash of Craigslist bump off the “ adult classifieds ” section from its 700 + site worldwide , the Village Voice Media - own online classified ad servicebackpage.comhas emerged as what some would call the # 1 beginning for on-line sex in the United States .
In a recent study , the Advanced Interactive Media Group ( AIMG ) estimate that about 70 percent of the revenue generated from online sex - trafficking in the US goes to Backpage — in the last 12 month alone , the site pulled in $ 25.4 million
In 2010 , the attorneys for a 15 - twelvemonth - old kid sexuality - trafficking victimfiled a civil case against Backpage , after the young girlfriend ’s pimp , Latasha Jewell McFarland , was doom to 5 yr in jail for soliciting prostitution with a tyke , among much else .
But the lawsuit went nowhere and Backpagedid not end up have to give any compensatory damages , because“Under Section 230 of the Union Communications Decency Act , cyberspace companies such as Backpage that master of ceremonies third - political party content are not held apt if third - company exploiter brand ‘ indecent ’ material . ”
Now , Backpage is in jeopardy , as activists in Washing ton D.C. , New York City , and Washington State , all part of a national movement against Backpage , are place increasing pressure on the web site itself , as well as the federal government , to stop the child - sex business deal from using the on-line classified ad service to alleviate its black-market - market place crime .
Backpage , in response , sued to stop the law ,
The proposed Washington State amendments may be a direct move to combat child sex - trafficking , but Eric Goldman , an adjunct prof at Santa Clara University specialise in internet law , believes such lawmaking threatens Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act—”perhaps the most important internet law ever,”he told The Verge .
“ It ’s surd to imagine sites like YouTube , Flickr , Wikipedia , Yelp , Facebook or Twitter without Section 230 , ” he say . The Washington State practice of law “ sideswipes Section 230 by trying to make websites undertake verification and record - keeping obligations ” that would be passing expensive and nearly inconceivable in everyday practice .
“ Imagine Twitter without real - metre bill , ” he said . If Washington State ’s law is allow to come about , it “ will destroy the drug user - generated cognitive content residential district . ”
harlotry itself may be legal only in some parts of Nevada , but other forms of legal sex work exist , and for those sex workers — exotic dancers , ecdysiast , dominatrices , etc — Backpage valued as a utilitarian tool for screen clients and advert service .
Reached for comment , one New York City sex doer , who agreed to mouth with me under terms of exacting anonymity , call such legal legal action against Backpage a “ silly bandaid ” that will only “ make thing intemperate for legitimate sex workers who are trying to do sound business . ”
“ Some people may guess it ’s a worthwhile swop - off — they’d be willing to miss something like Twitter , if it really mean that shaver sex - trafficking would be obliterate — but it does n’t work like that ; they ’re still going to find a way of life to traffic minor . ” Getting disembarrass of a web site like Backpage will only mean that the people trafficking minors for sex will have to turn to a unlike outlet to go on their trade wind , she reason .
“ We ’re face another election , so they retrieve another sex - traffic website to go after , ” she explain . During the previous election class , Craigslist was brought down .
“ It ’s well known in the sexual activity - work industriousness that vice is paid off by sure houses––brothels , slip clubs , etc , ” she told me . “ That ’s why they go after Backpage , ” because they have no hush money coming from the site , and it meditate well during an election year for the police enforcement to have a nifty coup like the obliteration of a perceived menace to the safety of child .
Regardless of the drive motif for the push to bring down Backpage , there ’s no dispute that trafficking of fry for sex must stopped . But Backpage is “ just a tool that ’s need in the black securities industry , ” and getting rid of this tool will not get disembarrass of the actual problem . “ What , are they going to start up taking away people ’s computers , too ? ”
Next hebdomad , a jurist will have to decide with to strike down the Washington State constabulary , permit portions of it into effect , or support it entirely as written . Whatever the issue , the nation will be prim for such legal action to derive ; New York and New Jersey are now considering whether to reenact on-line sex activity - trafficking law of nature of their own . This seems to be undoubtedly only set out of a national motion towardholding the internet accountable for our own bad behavior.[TheVerge ]
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