Opinion: It’s hard out here for a businessman
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Oh no he didn’t.
How dare South Carolina Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster threaten Craigslist with prostitution charges!
According to a blog posting by Jim Buckmaster, Craigslist’s CEO, that Bible Belt prosecutor actually gave the site 10 days to remove from its South Carolina editions the ‘categories for and functions allowing for the solicitation of prostitution and the dissemination and posting of graphic pornographic material.’ If the company didn’t comply, McMaster threatened to investigate and prosecute Craigslist’s management (e.g., Buckmaster).
But Craigslist’s is not taking this in a prone position. The company filed suit in federal court in South Carolina, seeking a restraining order against McMaster ‘with respect to criminal charges he has repeatedly threatened against Craigslist and its executives,’ Buckmaster blogged.
That’s right. After all, Craigslist should be applauded for the patriotic way it responded to concerns over its ‘erotic services’ section, which relied on complaints from users (many of whom were looking for, umm, illegal services) to blow the whistle on ads for, umm, illegal services. In its place, the company instituted an ‘adult services’ section, where Craigslist employees ‘manually review’ submissions before posting them. Mind you, the new approach will be more expensive, so the listings probably won’t generate quite as much for charity as the ‘erotic services’ system did. Here’s how the company explained things:
Note: Our announced intention to contribute 100% of net revenues for the ‘erotic services’ category to charity has been fulfilled, and will continue to be fulfilled, notwithstanding criticism questioning our good faith in this regard. However, in light of today’s changes, and to avoid any future misunderstanding, we are making no representation regarding how revenue from the ‘adult services’ category will be used. Our commitment to philanthropy remains however, and craigslist will continue to develop its charitable initiatives.
See? Craigslist takes this whole messy, albeit lucrative, prostitution thing into its own hands, and that’s the thanks it gets? Just last week New York officials busted a prostitution ring that had been promoting itself through Craigslist’s erotic services section. The arrests prove the company’s point that running what might be mistaken for a great big cyber-brothel actually makes it easier for vice cops to do their jobs.
So of course the site is suing McMaster -- and he deserves it!
After all, did he learn nothing from ‘Risky Business’? It’s a classic scene. And if you don’t remember the important lessons taught from one pimp to another, it’s worth watching again.
Update, Tuesday at 2:01 p.m.: A judge in South Carolina has approved a deal between Craigslist and McMaster to bar criminal charges from being brough before the company’s lawsuit is heard. Round one goes to Buckmaster....