It has been announced that Craigslist, online classified site will be replacing its "erotic services" ads with a new "adult services" category, as the result of it being pressured by state authorities after the murder of a masseuse who advertised her services on the site.
Julissa Brisman, a 25-year-old masseuse who advertised on Craigslist in Boston was killed on April 14, and the case was not the first one. George Weber, a New York reporter knifed to death after responding to a personal ad he placed on Craigslist in March, and a woman who responded to a babysitting ad was killed by Michael Anderson from Minnesota.
Craigslist already had made amendments to its policies with the aim of eliminating illegal activity on its site. Under pressure from 40 U.S. attorneys general, the site has introduced a charge of $5-$10 by credit card for posting erotic ads and users had to submit a working phone number. However, the recent news was that the "erotic services" section will end within seven days and be replaced by an "adult services" category where advertisements will be screened by Craigslist staff individually.
Nonetheless, there are still parties not satisfied with the actions of the web site. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo urged Craigslist to track computer IP addresses of suspected prostitution rings and take other safeguards. Moreover, Blumenthal had asked Craigslist officials in April to eliminate photographs in the "erotic services" and similar sections of the site, hire staff to screen ads that violate Craigslist rules and offer incentives for people who flag and report prostitution advertisements.
Craigslist is a 14-year-old online market with more than 20 billion page views per month in 50 countries, and 25% of which is owned by eBay.
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