March 26, 2018

There's a post I want to write, so I search Google News for "craigslist" and I get this...



... and I can't go on.

Here's the Sacramento Bee article — "Craigslist ditches personals ads following passage of sex-trafficking law" — in case you're up for lambasting Congress. Well...
President Donald Trump has not yet signed the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, which passed the House 388-25 and the Senate by 97-2, reported National Public Radio. The act makes posting or hosting online prostitution ads a federal crime, according to Rolling Stone. It also allows sex-trafficking victims to sue online publishers for third-party posts on their sites.
Okay, I have to say I hope Trump vetoes the law, but it would take so much nerve, and he seems to be in a terrible position right now for doing anything conspicuously sex-related, but if anyone has nerve, it's Donald Trump.

And kudos to Craigslist for shutting down its personals section. That's a brilliant example of making an argument by doing something (as opposed to saying something). Craigslist can restore the page if and when FOSTA is stopped (or even just when the time of trying to influence Trump has passed).

94 comments:

rhhardin said...

Protecting children isn't the highest priority in a functioning political system, but women vote.

the 4chan Guy who reads Althouse said...

"It also allows sex-trafficking victims to sue online publishers for third-party posts on their sites."

Suing publishers for third-party posts?

So people of malicious intent could post something on a site for the purpose of enabling the site to be sued.

Like giving the proverbial arsonist matches.

But then today's society seems to be OK with arsonists who commit arson for the Right Reason.

Just don't light a match in a sacred space of sisterhood and fellowship.

The Germans have a word for this.

Fernandinande said...

"passed the House 388-25 and the Senate by 97-2"

"Bipartisan" = watch out, it's probably terrible.

Freeman Hunt said...

Locally, Craigslist personals consisted pretty much entirely of sex trade ads, both buying and selling. Given that, I'm not sure how much of a political statement taking down that section makes. It seems like there would need to be more ads of other types for people to notice and miss the missing section.

traditionalguy said...

In a Brave New World, Pedophile's right to exercise sacred free speech must protected to save the Government's world wide child stealing and selling industry, second only in funding
our wonderful Politicians to their cut of the Afghan Heroin trade. Hmmm?

And why would we want Trump to veto that bill, again?

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Struggling to see the free speech issue at stake here. I can’t advertise selling heroin online, either. Shit, if I targeted children with ads depicting a cartoon camel, I’d be absolutely crucified.
I can’t think of a single President who would veto this. Though Clinton would want copies of any supporting documents.

Leland said...

Trump hasn't used his veto power at all. If he didn't veto the Omnibus, which had far less support; he isn't vetoing this bad law either. You would think there wasn't any laws already on the book to fight this stuff.

"oh, but we need more tools to combat cyber crime..."
No, what you need to do is quit coming up with excuses and actually prosecute real crimes.

Wince said...

Without knowing the applicable mens rea of the offense, it's hard to judge the statute.

Whether it's mens rea, guilty mind, or men's rea, men's guilt.

Didn't see it in the article.

Inga...Allie Oop said...


Trump should veto this? Seriously?! Sometimes the fight for free speech becomes twisted, misused and abused. This would be one of those times. The selling of children doesn’t warrant the free speech of criminals who sell them. How much more self evident can that be? It’s a criminal enterprise, more aggregious than selling elephant tranquilizers online. More aggregious than advertising the sale of stolen goods online. Since when do criminals get to use free speech rights to break the law

SeanF said...

Inga: The selling of children doesn’t warrant the free speech of criminals who sell them.

This law doesn't punish the criminals who sell them, though. It punishes the owners of the bulletin board who didn't notice and remove the criminal's posts fast enough.

MadisonMan said...

The act makes posting or hosting online prostitution ads a federal crime, according to Rolling Stone.

I believed the sentence until I went past the comma. Then doubt crept in.

MadisonMan said...

--- and why does the Sacramento Bee have to quote Rolling Stone on the intent of a bill, anyway? It just makes me question the ability of reporters everywhere.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“This law doesn't punish the criminals who sell them, though. It punishes the owners of the bulletin board who didn't notice and remove the criminal's posts fast enough.”

Yes, that’s evident. The owners are party to a crime by being lax or uninterested in the truth of what was going on. It was probably evident to anyone reading the ads what was going on.

Freeman Hunt said...

The free speech issue in the law isn't the advertising of criminal activity. The issue is extending the guilt to the platforms where such ads are hosted.

How could things like Blogger exist if Google were to be held to account for everything anyone posted using it?

Freeman Hunt said...

(That is, if the law is being characterized accurately here. MadMan makes a good point.)

SeanF said...

Inga: Yes, that’s evident. The owners are party to a crime by being lax or uninterested in the truth of what was going on. It was probably evident to anyone reading the ads what was going on.

To anyone reading the ads, sure. But as Freeman said, there's not somebody at Craigslist reading every single ad that gets posted. The site wouldn't exist if that were the requirement.

AllenS said...

Andrew appears to be from Madison.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“How could things like Blogger exist if Google were to be held to account for everything anyone posted using it?”

Criminal activity are the key words. The trafficking of children is illegal. The selling of illegal drugs is illegal. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Wince said...

Analogously, can CBS be held liable in contributory breach of Stormy Daniel's NDA with Trump?

I just assumed that was why Trump's legal team talked about $20 million in damages, because she owns nothing close to that.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“To anyone reading the ads, sure. But as Freeman said, there's not somebody at Craigslist reading every single ad that gets posted. The site wouldn't exist if that were the requirement.”

Maybe somebody or many somebodies at Craig’s list should have been given that job. A bit of oversight for an organization that makes millions too much to ask?

tim in vermont said...

One thing that happens is that prostitutes scan the m4w ad looking for customers. I don't even think it would be possible to prevent that.

Drago said...

Inga: "Criminal activity are the key words. The trafficking of children is illegal."

Well, not really if you are a muslim in a nation controlled by the left.

Like Britain.

In which case the authorities can know about your activities, the activities can go on for a decade, and the authorities won't move aggressively to stop you.

Because that would be racism.

Straight up.

tim in vermont said...

There were a lot of "Anybody holding 420?" type posts.

tim in vermont said...

Prostitution should be legal and regulated, like in Britain or Australia. Put ads in the papers, have your business open to inspection, etc. Secret shopper type enforcement. Interviews with sex workers. It's not going to go away. There are even prostitute baboons.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

As I understand it the law would make the companies liable only if they knowingly allowed the ads to remain on their service. Backpage did just this.

Watch the documentary on Netflix, “I am Jane Doe”.

Trumpit said...

Teaching people to read has consequences. It is not all fun and games.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Will somebody (besides Inga) please think of the CHILDREN!

tim in vermont said...

As I understand it the law would make the companies liable only if they knowingly allowed the ads to remain on their service.

Yeah, but how quickly do your Tipper Gore types twist the law?


Blogger Trumpit said...
Teaching people to read has consequences. It is not all fun and games


The beginning of a thought! Now substitute 'free speech' and try to mean it.

Anonymous said...

People waking up to the misuse of the internet. Again I am "shocked, shocked" by what we have known all along. At least Craig's list is showing some responsibility whereas Facebook ( why does anyone do Facebook?) keeps pointing the finger at someone else.

The concept of the law itself is probably not a bad idea, as always the devil is in the details and in this case punishment is wrongly aimed at the handiest party.

Why shouldn't Trump sign this? It's not his job to tell a large majority of the Congress that they voted for the wrong thing - especially when it will earn him nothing but more grief. It certainly is not to his benefit to pretend that he is a "constitutional scholar" like the previous useless POS who held the office. Last week most of the msm argued Trump had to sign the budget bill because that's what Congress wanted. This week someone expects him to be the final defense of the Constitution when John Roberts - whose actual job it is - couldn't be.

Birkel said...

Pocket vetoes should be utilized more.

tim in vermont said...

The selling of children doesn’t warrant the free speech of criminals who sell them

The problem with that "for the children" argument is that it can be applied to anything, overturning the First and Second amendments is just the beginning.

BTW, Senator Menendez, D - New Jersey was accused by "child prostitutes" of using their services. But not to worry, the children, still under the control of their traffickers, recanted. The FBI didn't really buy their recanting, but whatever.

Not to worry though Inga, he's a powerful Democrat so it must just be . some kind fo mixup or misunderstanding, because we know that Demcorats are not solely driven by the will to power!

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“BTW, Senator Menendez, D - New Jersey was accused by "child prostitutes" of using their services. But not to worry, the children, still under the control of their traffickers, recanted. The FBI didn't really buy their recanting, but whatever.”

And by allowing sex trafficking to be advertised on such places as Backpage and Craig’s List, it just makes it easier for those who want to engage in such activities and makes it so much more difficult for the women and children that are the victims of these traffickers.

Birkel said...

1) Private businesses must be held to account for the failures of law enforcement to stop crimes.
2) Arizona cannot help the federal government stop crime.
3) Some cities can opt out of enforcing certain crimes.
4) Some crimes can be ignored by federal authorities.
5) Sometimes confusion when lying to the FBI is ok and sometimes it's not.

One wonders why so many people think the government is corrupt.
And Inga cheers the lot of it.

cubanbob said...

Leave things as they are and instead have the cops monitor this more intensely as a way to scoop up the child molesters. Running the ad was in of itself a probable crime of solicitation. Arrest the creeps for solicitation.

Trumpit said...

The Second Amendment is a like a two-dollar bill: unwanted, unnecessary, and dangerous. Two-dollar bills can be used to purchase a gun to rob someone. However, I would not outlaw guns; I would outlaw bullets. Make it a felony to own ammunition. I would outlaw BB's too. Do you know what it's like to get shot in the eye with a BB? I still hear the wailing in my head from 40 years ago. A stray dog was trying to mate with a dog in heat, so a macho son of a bitch shot him the eye. Some things haunt you for the rest of your life.

Freeman Hunt said...

"Leave things as they are and instead have the cops monitor this more intensely as a way to scoop up the child molesters. Running the ad was in of itself a probable crime of solicitation. Arrest the creeps for solicitation."

I wonder about this too. Isn't it helpful for the police to be able to see these ads?

langford peel said...

Pedophlia is the next outpost in the war on traditional values. Having won the war to normalizing the perversion of homosexuality this will be the next big social movement of the progressive coalition.

The applause for Roman Polanski and the wordpship of Woody Allen did not happen in a vacuum.

Watch and see.

Trumpit said...

@langford peel,

You're the pervert. You ignorantly equate homosexuality with pedophilia. Nothing will "normalize" you.

Rick said...

Inga said...
[“To anyone reading the ads, sure. But as Freeman said, there's not somebody at Craigslist reading every single ad that gets posted. The site wouldn't exist if that were the requirement.”]

Maybe somebody or many somebodies at Craig’s list should have been given that job. A bit of oversight for an organization that makes millions too much to ask?


GM is responsible when their cars are used in murders and robberies. They should have someone monitor their cars - that's no excuse. Anyone who doesn't agree with me supports murder.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

The act makes posting or hosting online prostitution ads a federal crime,

The personal posting and soliciting of prostitution is one thing to criminalize. Making a hosting platform which consists of millions of postings responsible for the actions of private parties is a completely other issue.

Yes. It would be good if Craigslist, Google, Blogger etc were able to 100% eliminate such solicitations. However, that is not feasible. They can try, but it is just not possible to eliminate solicitations.

In addition, the act doesn't (to my knowledge) differentiate between selling children for sex, which I'm sure EVERYONE can agree is horrific and should be punished.....and two consenting adults deciding to 'hook up' for a monetary or exchange of other value which is NOT necessarily prostitution. Sex for cash. Sex for jewelry. Sex for car mechanic services or plumbing work :-)

For example: closing the personals section doesn't stop the ability to solicit. Ads can be placed in the Antiques section, Car parts for sale etc and cleverly be disguised as sex solicitations. Where there is a will there IS a way.

I agree with Freeman on this. It would be more helpful to the police to see the advertisements than it would be to drive the ads to different venues.

langford peel said...

Keep selling it Trumpit. Accepting homosexuality led to the pedophlia crisis in the Catholic Church. Now we are going to see this repeated in our society writ large.

The kid touchers are at the bottom of the slippery slope that homosexuality, transgenderism and the normalization of mental illness as an acceptable lifestyle is leading us to thanks to the progressive trashing of traditional values.




MadisonMan said...

The Second Amendment is a like a two-dollar bill: unwanted, unnecessary, and dangerous

I use $2 bills a lot to tip. Always brings a smile to the recipient.

Freeman Hunt said...

Isn’t it helpful for pedophiles and people who buy services provided from sex traffickers than to see these ads too? How much easier to traffic in sex, than to be able to advertise out in the open. Why should this be made easier for criminals and sexual perverts?

But we're not just talking about liability for making the ads. There could be good arguments for that. It's making the hosts liable that we're talking about. How could the hosts ever police all of their free, user-created content?

I could imagine holding them liable for content that was reported to them that they ignored. But holding them liable for all content generally seems to be asking for the impossible.

Trumpit said...

You phony "traditional values" people are the biggest hypocrites in the world. Look at your disgusting support of traditional-values Trump. You need to be exposed for your anti-gay bigotry. Creeps like you will not succeed in pushing homosexuals back in the closet. You don't like it, you can lump it.

langford peel said...

Wait a minute?

Trading sex for plumbing services?

I bet there is a story in there somewhere.

Is that how you met the Dumb a Plumber?

Enquiring minds wanrt to know.

Michael K said...

Accepting homosexuality led to the pedophlia crisis in the Catholic Church. Now we are going to see this repeated in our society writ large.

Yup. If you doubt this read, "Goodbye Good Men"

The "Pink Mafia" took over the seminaries in the 60s.

langford peel said...

Hey Trumpit putts nag the gays back in the closet is the best thing for them. This way the Muslins won't be able to find their bars to murder them.

America would be so much better off if we returned to the values and traditions of the 1950's. Women at home taking care of the kids. Gays shutting up and staying in the closet. Separate drinking fountains. All the things that made America greet.

What American Presidents didn't get pussy on the side? You ever hear of a guy named JFK? Every Irish nun I knew had his picture on the convent wall.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Isn’t it helpful for pedophiles and people who buy services provided from sex traffickers to see these ads too? How much easier to traffic in sex, than to be able to advertise out in the open. Why should this be made easier for criminals and sexual perverts?”

OK, I’ll repost because Freeman quoted me. I had decided not to further engage, as it’s usually an exercise in futility here, so I deleted that comment. If the hosts didn’t host, the ads would find no place that mainstream to land. Drive them underground, don’t make it easier to commit a crime.

Trumpit said...

Stick it in your ear, Michael K. You're hopped up on painkillers.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

Yes, that’s evident. The owners are party to a crime by being lax or uninterested in the truth of what was going on. It was probably evident to anyone reading the ads what was going on.

I agree with Inga on this one. Its not exactly news that "personnel" ads are what Craigslist relies on to stay profitable and those ads are used to enable sex trafficking.

Michael K said...


Blogger Trumpit said...
Stick it in your ear, Michael K. You're hopped up on painkillers.


Says the nut.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Looks like the thread is veering off into another Bash the Gays thread anyway, as it so often does when discussing sex. I guess it doesn’t occur to these people that there are millions of straight people who have gay sons or daughters, nieces and nephews, etc. and don’t agree that they are abnormal. I wonder if it doesn’t hurt Althouse a little bit reading this dreck from her majority right wing commenters. Sheesh, I’m sad for her.

“Accepting homosexuality led to the pedophlia crisis in the Catholic Church. Now we are going to see this repeated in our society writ large.”

One could say then, that accepting and enabling pedophilia and sex trafficking will cause any number of negative outcomes.

Michael K said...

Craig's List is also used by scammers, not just pedophiles.

I had a bed for sale and got a response who said he would send a cashier's check.

When the check came it was about $1600 more than the bed price.

I asked the guy (all on texting) what was going on. He wanted me to deposit the check and pay his "movers" $1600 cash.

Watch out for the Craig's List scammers.

The Godfather said...

@tim in Vermont: How can one get a job as a “secret shopper” in a British legalized brothel?

Asking for a friend.

Michael K said...

I guess it doesn’t occur to these people that there are millions of straight people who have gay sons or daughters, nieces and nephews, etc. and don’t agree that they are abnormal.

Inga, we don't think they are "abnormal" but they do tend to create affinity groups.

Years ago, an aunt of my wife's had an apartment building in Hollywood. All the tenants were gay. Every time one moved out, the others would find her a new tenant.

The seminaries got taken over by gay priests and radical nuns. Non-gays and non-leftists were driven out. The book has a number of stories from those affected.

I have thought for years that celibacy let the Church in for this sort of crisis.

Greek Orthodox priests marry and they have had no scandal.

The Church should end the celibacy rule and make it voluntary.

The Anglican Church shows that this is not a total solution as so many mainline churches have gone hard left.

Even so, the pedophilia thing came from the gay priest dominance.

If you think that gay men don't like young men and teenagers, you don;'t know many gays.

The Church scandals were mostly about teenagers, not true pedophilia.

Curious George said...

"Ron Winkleheimer said...
Yes, that’s evident. The owners are party to a crime by being lax or uninterested in the truth of what was going on. It was probably evident to anyone reading the ads what was going on.

I agree with Inga on this one. Its not exactly news that "personnel" ads are what Craigslist relies on to stay profitable and those ads are used to enable sex trafficking."

It is news. I've never placed one, nor even read any I don't think, but I don't believe they charge for personnel ads in any market. The only ads they charge for are Job ads and only some markets.

tim maguire said...

I met my wife through the Craigslist personals (twice). I'll have to let our daughter know she's banned now.

Ron Winkleheimer said...

I asked the guy (all on texting) what was going on. He wanted me to deposit the check and pay his "movers" $1600 cash.

And then it wouldn't have cleared and you would have been out $1600. Never, ever, ever cash a check sent to you from someone on the internet and kick back money to them. And never send the goods until the check has cleared.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0159-fake-checks

Ron Winkleheimer said...

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/popular-website-craigslist-outlet-sex-trafficking-child-exploitation/story?id=11367581

"The company reportedly collects $10 to $15 for every adult ad, bringing in an estimated $36 million a year."

langford peel said...

Homosexuality is inextricably liked with pedophlia. Currently there is a Hollywood movie touted for an Oscar that promotes and idealizes homosexual pedophilia. Part of the ongoing push to normalize pedophlia as they have already done with homosexuality.

Sure there are millions of people who have gays in their family and mouth the politically correct dogma that it is all just great. But in their heart of hearts they wish that they were normal.

There is nothing we can do about it. Pedophlia will be normalized. Just like letting a chick with a dick into the girls locker room. It will be protected and celebrated by the government and the media and shit....probably the NFL. In 2026 they will have a commercial where Mean Joe Greene will walk off the field and hand a kid his dick insread of a jersey.

As one of the chief culprits in the trashing of traditional values has said "who are we to judge?"

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Is that how you met the Dumb a Plumber?

Enquiring minds wanrt to know.


Actually, I traded washing machine repair work for a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. I was a single mom and he was a divorced guy. Because he knew I was I was cash strapped. Being a very very good guy... he refused to let me pay him and asked for a cake instead of money.

The cake was so good that...the sex and marriage came later. True story :-D

Dust Bunny Queen said...

If the hosts didn’t host, the ads would find no place that mainstream to land. Drive them underground, don’t make it easier to commit a crime.

Obviously, the hosting entity (say Craigslist) should be doing whatever they can to eliminate illegal sexual activity and especially pedophiles using their platform. However, it is impossible to get a 100% success in policing the postings.

People WILL find a way to continue doing what they are doing. Legal OR illegal. Driving them underground just ensures that they will be harder to catch.

There is a lot of sexual advertising for things between consenting adults. Things that may be weird or even distasteful to some but which are not necessarily illegal. Why should Craigslist or anyone else be held accountable.

Birkel said...

That made me smile, DBQ.
My best wishes for continued happiness.

Known Unknown said...

"Drive them underground, don’t make it easier to commit a crime."

So you'll never catch the criminals. Got it.

The halo effect here is the issue, not the immediate effect of preventing what that particular ad entailed. Freeman is correct and this should be vetoed. There are already crimes on the books for the selling of children for sex.

MadisonMan said...

that promotes and idealizes homosexual pedophilia

Have you seen the movie?

Trumpit said...

"Homosexuality is inextricably liked with pedophlia."
What a baseless and idiot assertion. You are a homophobic bigot. What are bisexuals, and heterosexuals linked to, pray tell? Fortunately, you are old and will die soon. I have a 6th sense about that. By the way, some gays are card-carrying members of the NRA and will shoot you if you fuck with them. You're not sending gays passively to the gas chambers like the Nazis did. Bark your hatred some place else.

Etienne said...

Think of milk and cookies.
Think of blogging with electric computers.
Think of electricity.
Think of steam.
Think of something to burn.
Think of gas chambers.
Think of the insane.

langford peel said...

Blogger MadisonMan said...
that promotes and idealizes homosexual pedophilia

Have you seen the movie?

No I have just read the reviews. They are ubiquitous and paint a picture of the continual effort to legitimize homosexual pedophlia.

I boycott the movies. They basiclly all suck these days. Made by social justice warriors. The even destroyed the Star Wars franchise with political correctness.

I stick with Westerns on YouTube.

Trumpit said...

Etienne,
Don't tell me what to think, you fascist.

Ralph L said...

The internet would barely exist without porn and cat videos. Pretty sure some of those cats were up to no good.

Ralph L said...

I read somewhere the age of consent was 17 in Italy when Call Me is set, don't know if that's true. Do know it's 16 for same-sex in UK now, probably not low enough for some of the Muslims.

MadisonMan said...

langford, consider that the reviews do not paint a wholly accurate picture.

I've not seen it either, but I did see the last scene, I think: The grad student calls to announce he's engaged to be married. (To a woman, as this is taking place in the 80s)

Hmm.

I wonder if we're talking about the same movie. (laugh)

Jim at said...

I still hear the wailing in my head from 40 years ago. - Trumpit

Unfortunately, so do the rest of us.

langford peel said...

I don't want to send the gays to the gas chamber. I want to send them back to the closet. For their own protection. Otherwise all the Muslims that the Democrats want to let into our country will murder them like they did in Orlnado.

But you are right. Traditional Americans are almost gone. Soon homosexual pedophlia will be acceptable and celebrated. It is the logical next step to the progressive narrative.

So it won't be our problem when the protected classes of the progressive movement turn on each other.

walter said...

Trumpit said... Fortunately, you are old and will die soon. I have a 6th sense about that.
--
You and TTR cheering the obits together?

walter said...

Maybe that's a not so veiled threat..better start an investigation..

Michael McNeil said...

I would not outlaw guns; I would outlaw bullets. Make it a felony to own ammunition.

The Supreme Court has long since ruled that a constitutional right cannot be encumbered by regulations that make it an effective nullity. Thus, for instance, the State cannot purport to allow “freedom of speech” but then forbid printing presses, mimeograph machines (boy that sounds old!), typewriters and computers along with computer printers, together with ink. Similarly, a right to bear arms must include a right to ammunition.

Drago said...

Earlier Trumpit: "The Second Amendment is a like a two-dollar bill: unwanted, unnecessary, and dangerous."

Later Trumpit: "By the way, some gays are card-carrying members of the NRA and will shoot you if you fuck with them."

Compare and contrast.

langford peel said...

Yes Madison Man. That is the movie.

You realize that they increased the age of the victim to load the dice. To make it minally acceptable. When somebody like Milo tells the truth they destroy him. Because they want to get there gradually. But they will get there for in the end. Some poor kids end. Because that is those deviants ultimate goal.

It is just a repeat of the fall of the Roman Empire. Nothing is new in human history.

prairie wind said...

Drive them underground, don’t make it easier to commit a crime.

Drive them underground and we won't know that about guy who wants to sell his 4yo. Not knowing about it doesn't mean it isn't still happening.

Drago said...

Inga: "I wonder if it doesn’t hurt Althouse a little bit reading this dreck from her majority right wing commenters."

Says the commenter who wants to import milliins of muslims who believe gays should be burned alive in cages or thrown off roofs.

But in a "nice" non-republican way, so its all good.

In fact those guys are actually preferred by the left over republicans because the lefties believe their culture is superior.

Interesting.

walter said...

Freeman Hunt said...Isn't it helpful for the police to be able to see these ads?
--
..and post them.

Rabel said...

Reading the bill, it seems clear to me that it applies to the activities of pimps, but not prostitutes.

In other words, Ritmo could log onto blogger and offer himself up at the Althouse blog for sexual activity for pay and blogger would be in the clear, but if he offered to hook you up with one of the boys in his basement, it would be a violation.

What I'm not clear on is exactly what entity bears the responsibility if he goes all in on his new side gig.

From the bill:

“(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."

From the referenced definition:

"(2) Interactive computer service

The term "interactive computer service" means any information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that provides access to the Internet and such systems operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions."

Who exactly "provides" or "enables" this access? Is it Ritmo's ISP, or Alphabet, or Google, or Blogger, or is it Althouse herself?

James K said...

Otherwise all the Muslims that the Democrats want to let into our country will murder them like they did in Orlnado.

Actually it turns out that Mateen had no idea that Pulse was a gay nightclub, and killing gays was not part of his motive.

Etienne said...

Trumpit said...Etienne, Don't tell me what to think, you fascist.

Hey! Don't force me to bring in the Nuns !

langford peel said...

Sure. The Muslims love the gays.

Those you love you always sone. Or throw off a roof.

That is just more progressive bullshit to excuse the actions of the Muslim terrorists. It is a freaking cottage industry.

Progressives are just so full of shit.

langford peel said...

Stone not sone.

langford peel said...

The article you cite is a futile attempt to exonerate the shooters wife. Fake news.

Birkel said...

Drago:
Did you see the Texas couple who tried to sell their 16 year old into marriage for $20,000.

Kirk Parker said...

Ron W.,

" Its not exactly news that "personnel" ads are what Craigslist relies on to stay profitable and those ads are used to enable sex trafficking."

Well, it's f'n big news to me because:

(a) CL does NOT charge for posting, or viewing, personals ads, and

(b) CL does NOT host any display ads, so no matter how popular personals are, they aren't generating ANY income for CL.

So... could you perhaps elaborate on the "not exactly news" part of your fictitious claim?

And no, the link you posted later does not address this question in any way. It simply claims, without any link or the slightest word of actual... what's that thing now... oh, yeah EVIDENCE... that this is true: "The company reportedly collects $10 to $15 for every adult ad, bringing in an estimated $36 million a year."

Kirk Parker said...

Mike K.,

"If you think that gay men don't like young men and teenagers, you don't know many gays."

Indeed! Nor know many heteros, either, as men being attracted to the young-but-sexually-mature (mid to late teens, early twenties) isn't exactly news.

Kirk Parker said...

Ralph L.,

"Pretty sure some of those cats were up to no good."

Funny, but your stats are a bit messed up.

Kirk Parker said...

Walter,

..and post them.

"Ahhh, the Internet! Where men are men, women are men, and little girls are FBI agents!"

Rusty said...

Blogger Rabel said...
"Reading the bill, it seems clear to me that it applies to the activities of pimps, but not prostitutes.

In other words, Ritmo could log onto blogger and offer himself up at the Althouse blog for sexual activity for pay and blogger would be in the clear, but if he offered to hook you up with one of the boys in his basement, it would be a violation."

It would be OK because all ritmo's "Brazillian" sexual partners are inflatable. He has dozens of them. Some of them are pool toys though. He rogers those with the same enthusiasm though.
It's all good.