CHICAGO – Just weeks after an NBC Action News investigation uncovered “Sex for Sale” right here in the metro, it has been announced Craigslist will do away with their “erotic services” ads.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Wednesday those ads will expire in seven days and users will soon notice a new “adult” section that will be moderated by Craigslist staff.
In April, NBC Action News hidden cameras exposed how some use the site’s erotic services section to sell sex from inside their homes across the metro, with many ads leaving little to the imagination.
Pressure to remove the category increased further this spring after a Boston medical student was charged with killing a masseuse who authorities say he met through Craigslist.
“We view these changes as a significant step forward in our negotiations,” Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster said.
Koster, along with Madigan and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, met last week with Craigslist officials to discuss this situation.
"We're very encouraged that Craigslist is doing the right thing in eliminating its online red light district with prostitution and pornography in plain sight,” Blumenthal said. “We'll be watching and investigating critically to make sure this measure is more than just a name change."
North Kansas City Police are investigating what the NBC Action News Investigators uncovered and the Platte County Sheriff’s Department admitted investigating this type of activity was a low priority because of limited resources.
“While no solution is likely to be perfect given the nature of prostitution, Craigslist’s response is a step in the right direction,” Koster said. “Nonetheless, we will continue to closely monitor the site to make certain Craigslist’s proposals are effective.”
An e-mail sent to Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster was not immediately returned Wednesday morning.
