Craigslist cracks down on erotic ads

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United States, November 7,2008 - The leading online classified publication Craigslist has made a new rule for those who want to submit/post ads to the Web's site's "erotic services" section to avoid illegal advertising.

As per the new measure, the users who want to post errotic ads on the site will have to give their credit card number and a working phone number to the publication before putting up an ad.

Craigslist (San Francisco-based) is online network of communities, it has free online classified advertisements – with jobs, internships, housing, personals, erotic services, for sale/barter/wanted, services, community, gigs, resume, pets categories. It has forums on several topics also.

Craigslist‘s website serves nine billion page views per month and it occupies 47th position in the list of all the web sites of the world. Within U.S. the site has nearly thirty million unique visitors and in the list of U.S. websites it occupies ninth place. It is a leading classified website as two million new job listings are added to the site each month.

Regarding the prevention of prostitution ads and ads linked with other illegal activities, Craigslist had a discussion with 40 state attorneys general. So, while figuring out some way to stop the two activities the new rule was formed.

"These businesses (selling of software by cottage industry) facilitate the placement of ads for illegal services that would otherwise be blocked by Craigslist's protective measures," the company stated.

Also, Craigslist has decided to sue the companies that have been involved in helping illegitimate advertisers to evade the site's defense system. At present, 14 such defaulter companies are on the list to be sued by Craigslist. Several other companies which are offering such illegal services will be sent "cease and desist" letters by Craigslist.

A letter was sent to the company’s management in March by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in which Blumenthal accused the online publication of violating its own rules and laws by allowing prostitution ads to appear on the site.

While the company defended its stance by claiming that the company has always supported and cooperated with law makers to stop crimes from happening. Company said it will take every possible step to stop all illegal advertising on its site. As a result, this new rule was formulated.