Regarding the Adult Services section, I could never understand why CraigsList could not connect the dots. Allowing adults to advertise their services on its site COULD involve children.
CraigsList has the law on its side. The Communications Decency Act and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act protect it from the actions of a third party. Fair enough.
But CraigsList should WANT to shut this section down because court cases—like in South Carolina—have shown that it leads to prostitution (which can involve abuse/violence against women) and in some cases (as verified by the Rebecca Project for Human Rights) it involves child trafficking.
This issue is not about legality. It’s about doing the right thing.
I am no Morality Policewoman. I don’t care what consenting adults want to do with their time. But as a society we have a MORAL OBLIGATION to protect children. Which is more important? Letting adults gets what they want—OR protecting children?
A while back I wrote a critical email to Craig Newmark and told him “to get a brain and get a conscience.” His reply to me was almost childlike. He didn’t get my point at all. The response was, “Your words are hurtful.” (That’s almost verbatim.) And “I don’t know why you’re saying such things about me.” (That’s paraphrased.)
The funny thing about Craig’s email was that I delayed reading it because I figured it would be equally scathing as mine, and I didn’t want to get into a verbal war. So when I did read it, I was stupefied.
Maybe that was Craig’s plan? Stop me dead in my tracks with his bewildered innocence? Well, it worked, as I did not reply back. (But I did blog later and mailed him a hard copy!)
I wondered about Craig’s email many times. Figure out a person’s motivation and you will know what that person is like or even who that person is.
I pondered why Craig would even want the Adult Services section on his site. He HAS to know what it is about. After all, there are 40 States’ Attorney Generals telling Craig to clean up his site.
I came up with reasons that would motivate Craig to doggedly defend his right to keep this section on his website.
1. He likes the money it generates.
2. He likes the ads themselves.
3. He’s bratty and likes sticking it authority (as the law is on his side—so ha ha ha on them!). It’s HIS site and he’ll do what he wants.
4. He’s been pushed around in life before. Now he is sticking up for himself.
I don’t think Craig’s motivation is the first three. I think it is something more like #4. I’ve seen Craig in interviews and he is NO dynamo. He’s seems like a nice guy—except for this one hideous issue. From my one-time email exchange with him, he is sensitive to public scorn.
Of course I’m no shrink so who really knows. But at least CraigsList is finally bowing to public pressure.
With this decision, CraigsList will lose approximately $40 million in annual revenue. But sometimes business decisions are not based on money—if you’re not a sociopathic greedmeister like the Wall Street Bankers. It can be about something more important: a company’s goodwill and reputation.
I think CraigsList is now a better business. And America is better, too.
Well, as I live in a town that doesn’t have Craigslist, I really haven’t been following it. I think the idea is good, but yes it does need to be cleaned up.
Marci