Craigslist CEO asks why SC attorney general targets his site

AP via Yahoo News ^ | 05/16/09 | JEFFREY COLLINS

[jerry557]

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster pointed out Saturday there are plenty of places in South Carolina other than his Web site to find prostitution ads and obscene photos, saying in a blog that he wants to know why the state's top prosecutor is targeting his company.

South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster has threatened to prosecute Craigslist executives for aiding and abetting prostitution if an ad on the Web site leads to a prostitution case in South Carolina.

In the post on his company's blog, Buckmaster linked to a publication in Greenville he said has a larger number of adult ads and more explicit content than his Web site. He later updated the post to point out a publication in Charleston that listed 19 adult ads on Friday.

In contrast, Buckmaster said the Greenville "adult services" portion of his site has had one ad for the past three days with a photograph of a completely clothed person, while the recently closed "erotic services" section had eight ads, none of which had obscene texts or nude pictures.

McMaster's office did not return a phone message left Saturday.

[rabscuttle385]

Next up, prosecuting gun mfrs. because they made guns that were used to kill people.

[rabscuttle385]

Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster pointed out Saturday there are plenty of places in South Carolina other than his Web site to find prostitution ads and obscene photos, saying in a blog that he wants to know why the state's top prosecutor is targeting his company.

[Sacajaweau]

Think about it.....If it wasn’t for Craig’s List, we might never have caught that guy...

[Raycpa]

McCaster is a tool for the newspapers who want their classified revenues back.

[DeaconRed]

WHY?
You have to ask?
OK the reason you were picked and the others left alone . . Simple
They paid them

[Tribune7]

I was thinking the same thing.

[wildwood]

yeah, well, what i find interesting is that people aren't afraid to QUESTION a REPUBLICAN, while auto, car dealers, banks, all the other companies are FREAKED about even questioning, not to mention challenging, the decisions of the OBAMA administration.

who are the gangsters, i ask.

[wally_bert]

A similar thought happened when I saw the headline.

I want ALL liberal rag newspapers out of business and the liberal journalists to lose everything.

[jerry557]

There has to be other motives involved here. This AG cant seriously think this will even put a dent in prostitution... If you closed down Craigslist, it will do absolutely nothing to curb prostitution.

You are talking about the world’s oldest profession. Any politician that gets up on a horse and claims they are going to stop it are full of crap.

If anything, this thing makes it even less safe for all involved. It drives it even further underground.

[torchthemummy]

McCaster is a tool for the newspapers who want their classified revenues back.

Whether true or not, this has been the opening the newspapers have been looking for to take down their biggest classified ad nemesis.

Interestingly enough when you bookmark the site you get a little peace sign in the bookmark. That doesn't bother me because at least the site lives up to the "free love" aspect of hippyness vs. the complete hypocrites that swell the ranks of the Dem Party that take every shot they can at open market capitalism and then, behind the scene, are completely embedded in said market (and don't touch theirs!)

Craig's List is at least operating under the open market premise of giving the public what they want - in this case hosting free classified ads - and funds their site with limited paid job and real estate ads in several of the biggest urban markets. That's the kind of hippy I can deal with.

[webstersII]

“There has to be other motives involved here. “

Publicity.

Future political capital.

Higher political office.

[Nickname]

Going out on a limb here....

A “crisis” is a terrible thing to waste and someone wants to make a name for himself?

[wally_bert]

I have no problem with the way Craigslist operates.

The only flack I have ever had with CL was with some users who flagged a couple of my ads for photo/video models as offensive. I did not use any offensive language or graphic content like a lot of similar ads use. I guess I was seen as some sort of threat.

[GladesGuru]

The SC Prosecutor-In-Chief must have been using some of the confiscated drugs in the evidence storage room.

By the logic of his argument, CraigsList is equally an accomplice to burglary AND selling of stolen property whenever anyone sells anything which was stolen.

LawyerBoy must have been sleeping in his law school class when the professor discussed ‘mens rea’.

Or, perhaps there is an election coming up and LawyerBoy wants some free press?

[jjw]

maybe it's because you run a website that has crystal clear prostitution advertisements, check out what you get in tampa: http://tampa.craigslist.org/search/ers/?query=w4m
Here are the last dozen listings:

May 13 - A SEXxXY BLONDE &HOT BRUNETTE WE R WORKING IN PINELLAS COUNTY~~ - 22 - (PINELLAS COUNTY SAT. NIGHT) pic

May 13 - Feather Sound area, slim redhead - w4m - 36 - (Clearwater) pic

May 13 - I want 2 S*U*C*K & ******** all night long. What are U waiting 4. CALL! - w4m - 27 - (TAMPA) pic

May 12 - THE GIRL NEXT DOOR BD FRIENDLY***150 - w4m - 18 - (TAMPA/BRANDON/RIVERVIEW) pic

May 12 - OPEN & WILLING & I AIM 2 PLEASE SO LET ME HELP U***150 - w4m - 21 - (TAMPA/BRANDON/RIVERVIEW) pic

May 12 - LET ME TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR WORRIES TONIGHT H*E*A*DACHE RELEIF***150 - w4m - 18 - (TAMPA/BRANDON/RIVERVIEW) pic

May 12 - I'M SUPER SEXY!! CALL ME!! he,he,he...... - w4m - 21 - (outcalls only) pic

May 12 - SUPER HOT NATURAL BLONDE BEAUTY - 22 - (TAMPA) pic

May 12 - THE SWEET STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF! ALL AMERICAN CUTIE PIE! - w4m - 21 - (Clearwater St Pete Tampa) pic

May 12 - ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^(SWEET SATISFACTION)^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ - w4m - 19 - (CLEARWATER) pic

May 12 - *************************PLEASURE BEYOND MEASURE************** - w4m - 19 - (ST.PETE ) pic

May 12 - ***** A PERFECT MIX!!!!!!!!!!!! - w4m - 20 - (st pete / sarasota / tampa)

May 12 - *COME TRY THE BEST*FORGET THE REST*100% REAL*TOP NOTCH PROVIDER*HONEY* - w4m - 21 - (*UR PLACE NOW*NEVER 2 LATE*727-768-3962*) pic

[org.whodat]

Because he’s to sorry to go after the fake insurance companies.

[org.whodat]

You are talking about the world’s oldest profession. Any politician that gets up on a horse and claims they are going to stop it are full of crap.

Agreed, legalize it, tax it and give all those welfare queens a job.

[bamahead]

Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!
(View past Libertarian pings here)

[Still Thinking]

Craig's List is at least operating under the open market premise of giving the public what they want - in this case hosting free classified ads - and funds their site with limited paid job and real estate ads in several of the biggest urban markets. That's the kind of hippy I can deal with.

Hypocrisy is exactly why I find him offensive. See, they won't take firearm related ads, which are perfectly legal. If he took all ads regardless of content, I would say he'd be free and clear on the prostitution issue. Then he'd be like a phone company that bears no responsibility for the content of conversations they carry. But he's taking a stand and saying he gets to filter the ads based on his approval of what the person is trying to sell. Well, he doesn't get to have it both ways.