Craigslist Personals taken offline...

[lokithor]

Backpage it is then!

[Thage]

Welcome to the wonderful world of todays' GOP.

But muh freedums tho, and pissing off them librulz, and muh pepe!

[LiiLoSNK]

How am I supposed to play rape roulette now?

[breadisfunny]

so will someone tell me wtf this exactly entails? or are we just going to continue to whip ourselves up into a hysteria while providing very little details about what it actually does?

[belfpala]

Seems like a massive overreach on their part then.

Yup, standard conservative behavior. Be outraged at others having sex, then downplay the scandal when you get caught with your mistress.

I'm really not kidding.

[ProfessorTjc]

I thought people voted Republican to protect our freedoms? Guess they got bamboozled.

[lolcats121]

This is insane, all i really have to say.

[Thage]

so will someone tell me wtf this exactly entails? or are we just going to continue to whip ourselves up into a hysteria while providing very little details about what it actually does?

Long story short, it's a crackdown holding websites responsible for the illegal actions of its users (imagine if, say, they held McDonald's responsible as a company because an employee lost his shit and swung a nine-iron at somebody, or because a hooker and a john hooked up at one).

It's federal-level regulation on prostitution thinly veiled as a crusade for justice and accountability from the GOP's latest attack on the internet as an open marketplace, leading to many sites to pre-emptively take down what could be 'controversial' sections of their site (like Reddit's r/watchpeopledie, which can be argued as protected under the First Amendment for education purposes, and Craigslist's personal section as it is widely-known for covert prostitution hookups) in order to avoid legal challenges from the currently ass-backwards DOJ. 'Cause I guess if those old limpdicks in Congress aren't getting any, we can't, either.

[Seranthor]

This is all they show
"
US Congress just passed HR 1865, "FOSTA", seeking to subject websites to criminal and civil liability when third parties (users) misuse online personals unlawfully.

Any tool or service can be misused. We can't take such risk without jeopardizing all our other services, so we are regretfully taking craigslist personals offline. Hopefully we can bring them back some day.

To the millions of spouses, partners, and couples who met through craigslist, we wish you every happiness!"

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-...ouse-bill/1865

This really sucks...

It would seem that few if any have actually read the bill. (no surprise)

Craigslist isn't telling the whole truth. (no surprise there either)

[breadisfunny]

Long story short, it's a crackdown holding websites responsible for the illegal actions of its users (imagine if, say, they held McDonald's responsible as a company because an employee lost his shit and swung a nine-iron at somebody, or because a hooker and a john hooked up at one).

It's federal-level regulation on prostitution thinly veiled as a crusade for justice and accountability from the GOP's latest attack on the internet as an open marketplace, leading to many sites to pre-emptively take down what could be 'controversial' sections of their site (like Reddit's r/watchpeopledie, which can be argued as protected under the First Amendment for education purposes, and Craigslist's personal section as it is widely-known for covert prostitution hookups) in order to avoid legal challenges from the currently ass-backwards DOJ. 'Cause I guess if those old limpdicks in Congress aren't getting any, we can't, either.

so if it includes sites that could be used for any form of illegal activity why not just take the entirety of the internet down.

[Seranthor]

so will someone tell me wtf this exactly entails? or are we just going to continue to whip ourselves up into a hysteria while providing very little details about what it actually does?

It appears to target sex trafficking.

[breadisfunny]

It appears to target sex trafficking.

okay so then it isn't the end of the internet why is everyone making a fuss about it?

[Machismo]

okay so then it isn't the end of the internet why is everyone making a fuss about it?

Mainly because it is worded in a broad manner, and the results will likely be far from the original intent.

[Wiyld]

“(a) In General.—Whoever, using a facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, owns, manages, or operates an interactive computer service (as such term is defined in defined in section 230(f) the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f))), or conspires or attempts to do so, with the intent to promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both.

“(b) Aggravated Violation.—Whoever, using a facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, owns, manages, or operates an interactive computer service (as such term is defined in defined in section 230(f) the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f))), or conspires or attempts to do so, with the intent to promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person and—

“(1) promotes or facilitates the prostitution of 5 or more persons; or

“(2) acts in reckless disregard of the fact that such conduct contributed to sex trafficking, in violation of 1591(a),

shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 25 years, or both.



So....They have to prove intent. I would say that shutting down the personals suggests that there was plausible evidence to suggest that its intended purpose was to promote these things.

[breadisfunny]

Mainly because it is worded in a broad manner, and the results will likely be far from the original intent.

could it be potentially used to take down say porn sites under that guise? genuinely curious.

[Wiyld]

could it be potentially used to take down say porn sites under that guise? genuinely curious.

Doubt it. We drew a line between prostitution and porn a long time ago. Its a pretty damn thin line but for some reason we were able to do that.

[Thage]

Doubt it. We drew a line between prostitution and porn a long time ago. Its a pretty damn thin line but for some reason we were able to do that.

Some brilliant, beautiful motherfucker managed to establish artistic merit in porn.

[Machismo]

could it be potentially used to take down say porn sites under that guise? genuinely curious.

I honestly don't know how porn sites are administered, and if people can simply upload to the sites, or if they are handled by the admins. Of course, this will clearly have an impact on sites like Craigslist, and possibly even forums and social media sites, where users provide the content.

[Wiyld]

Some brilliant, beautiful motherfucker managed to establish artistic merit in porn.

Yeah you know, at least now I can watch some other dude getting it on instead of doin it myself...but alright.

I swear there must be a cuckhold joke in there somewhere?

[Tomservo]

People have misused every form of communication for crimes. Take that as you will.

LFM Bank Robbery