HARTFORD, Conn. - State attorneys general nationwide are demanding that Craigslist remove its adult services section because they say the website cannot adequately block potentially illegal ads.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced Tuesday that he and colleagues in 16 states have sent a letter calling on the classified advertising site to get rid of its adult services category.
The attorneys general say Craigslist is not completely screening out ads that promote prostitution and child trafficking. The site creators pledged in 2008 to improve their policing efforts.
A spokeswoman for the Washington State Attorney General's Office says Washington will not be joining this latest effort.
Kristin Alexander said simply removing or changing the title doesn't necessarily make it easier for Craigslist or law enforcement to police the site. She said some of the experts the Washington AG's office consulted with suggested that it might make it more difficult.
"Potentially people could be placing those ads but they could end up in different sections," she said.
"Basically it’s the uncertainty, not the intent behind the letter from the other Attorney's General that led us to decide not to join," she said.
In 2008, Washington was one of 43 states that forged an agreement with Craigslist to address crimes including child pornography, child prostitution and human trafficking. According to the agreement, Craigslist would begin requiring that users who post erotic services ads provide a working phone number and pay a fee with a valid credit card and would supply the resulting information in response to law enforcement subpoenas. In addition, proceeds from erotic services ads would be donated to charity.
Other states joining the effort are Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
San Francisco-based Craigslist did not immediately return a call.
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