Craigslist - Is It “Pimpin” On Web 2.0?

News today confirms that users can get anything on the Web at Craigslist.org. Nassau County, NY police arrest 8 prostitutes in an ongoing sting operation targeting one of the Web's most visited sites. Craigslist's for-sale advertisement and employment sections have been increasingly used to trade sex for money according to law enforcement officials. Nassau County has made over 70 arrests since focusing on the popular Web domain last year and vice squads nationwide are tuned in as well.

Nassau County assistant chief of detectives Richard McGuire told the New York Times: "Craigslist has become the high-tech 42^ndStreet, where most of the solicitation takes place now. It appears the word's oldest profession is taking advantage of technology and online street corners as the world migrates to the Web. Law enforcement personnel apparently now surf the Web browsing cyber-ads in search of sexual solicitations according to the article. In Jacksonville Florida police nabbed 33 men including a teacher and a firefighter in last month's sting operation.

Sex and the Web

Art imitates life, and the Internet mirrors society as we are all beginning to see. For every positive thing we experience on Web 2.0 - there seems to be a counterbalancing negative as is the case outside the digital domain. I was rather astonished to learn of the magnitude and apparent complicity in such dealings by Craigslist. The NYT article revealed that in one day alone in the New York region there were some 9000 listings added to the site's "Erotic Services" section. Heck, I was not even aware Craigslist had such a section - now it is apparent that the site has truly left no stone unturned in bringing stuff to people.

The Web and Accountability

Law enforcement agencies have accused Craigslist of enabling prostitution but company president Jim Buckmaster says the site relies primarily on visitors to flag questionable ads. Buckmaster refused to comment when asked if the company supports the police "decoy" ads and the site's founder Craig Newmark apparently deferred all questions to Buckmaster. Certainly the site owners cannot be held liable for unknown activity on such a massive site, but once apprised of a situation we can expect a more proactive response I think. At the very least the "appearance of caring" would seem appropriate to at least responsible corporate policy.

Civil Liberties

Under the federal Communications Decency Act of 1996, ads like these are legal and site owners cannot be held responsible for content posted by users. However, being liable and being accountable are sometimes two separate issues. A Web entity is like any other in that it represents both a presence and a philosophy. Whether is is a personal space or a business, a site stands for something in the end. Too often we cling to the symbolic freedom represented by free speech and equal rights, while undesirable forces prey on the weaknesses in this ideology. There is a countermeasure that balances the gray area between civil liberty and social conscious however - user voice. What we advocate or decide not to support can have an impact.

Conclusion

The thing about prostitution, drugs and a whole list of similar activities is that the world behind these activities is where the real hazard resides. Without expressing my views on either of this social dogma - we are all aware of the negative forces behind the marquee - an underworld where human rights are not even a consideration. So, Craigslist even having a section titled "Erotic Services" essentially smacks the site right down there with the worst porno site as far as I am concerned.

There is a place for everything on the Web, but without barriers and some segregation of content the Web is doomed to become even more chaotic than the physical world. I will catch some statistic over this thinking I know, but I don't want Craigslist or anyone else "Pimpin" to my kids or anyone else's. Sexuality and provocative symbols can be positively attractive and there is nothing wrong with this natural state, but the knowing convolution and degradation of human beings is truly a violation of human rights. Well now they know about it, let's see if Craigslist does anything about it.