SoylentNews

takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

The FBI, Justice Department, and other agencies have seized [arstechnica.com] Backpage.com [wikipedia.org], and one of the co-founders had their home raided:

On Friday, federal law enforcement authorities seized Backpage domain names, including Backpage.com and Backpage.ca. In addition, the Arizona Republic reported [azcentral.com] that on Friday morning, law enforcement raided the Sedona-area home of Michael Lacey, a co-founder of the site.

For years, Backpage has acted with impunity as a place that offered thinly veiled online prostitution ads. In December 2016, Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer and his co-defendants beat back a state prosecution in California.

Sex workers aren't happy [buzzfeed.com], and could be endangered by the move as well as the recent passage [soylentnews.org] of the Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act [wikipedia.org] (SESTA). SESTA is not yet in effect [techdirt.com].

Also at CNN [cnn.com], WSJ [wsj.com], The Hill [thehill.com], and The Verge [theverge.com].

Previously: Supreme Court Chief Justice Blocks Congressional Subpoena Over First Amendment Rights [soylentnews.org]
Backpage's Dallas Offices Raided, CEO Charged With "Pimping" [soylentnews.org]
"Pimping" Charges Against Backpage Executives Dismissed [soylentnews.org]
After Release of U.S. Senate Report, Backpage Shuts Down U.S. Adult Section [soylentnews.org]

Related: Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act - 20 Years of Protecting Intermediaries [soylentnews.org]
Craigslist Removes Personals Sections in the U.S. [soylentnews.org]

Original Submission