A civil suit was filed against Craigslist by an Illinois Sheriff who says that the online classified ads site is the "single largest source of prostitution in the nation." The subject of the suit in particular is Craigslist's "erotic services" section where users can post ads anonymously much like one would place an ad for a party planning business or a used laptop for sale. The site, naturally, insists that it has actively been engaged in assisting law enforcers in apprehending those who utilize its services for illicit activities, which the plaintiff has dismissively tagged as a huge publicity stunt for even bigger tax breaks. Even the newly added requirement of paying a fee for posting on the "erotic services" section can be circumvented simply by using stolen cards. At the very least, those who seek to profit handsomely will surely find other ways to bypass such a simple requirement.
Craigslist is confident that it can successfully defend itself against this latest attack, and it's probably safe to assume that it can since it cannot possibly be held liable for user generated or uploaded content which it does not own. The site may possibly be a facilitator, but is certainly not the source. And basing its liability on the fact that its a medium for prostitution rings or drug traffickers means that the law will also have to punish print media, motels and nightclubs as well.
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