Live data from Hacker News

Backpage Raided, CEO Arrested on Sex-Trafficking Charges

abcnews.go.com

11–20 of 308 posts

Re: Backpage Raided, CEO Arrested on Sex-Trafficking Charges

#11

Is the distinction between this page and the kind of things posted on craigslist, strictly that the posters had to pay to list their ads? Or do prostitutes not post on craigslist? AFAIK Newmark hasn't had to deal with any of this. I'd be interested to know if there is something similar and legal in countries that allow prostitution (Netherlands?). Seems like they were making a lot of revenue for what is basically ill…

A guess: fta, 99% of revenue was from sex ads.

I don't think there's a bright line, but craigslist is a many-faceted business that has a small percentage of revenue from prostitution. Backpages is just a prostitution marketplace.

Re: Backpage Raided, CEO Arrested on Sex-Trafficking Charges

#12
post #10

Is the distinction between this page and the kind of things posted on craigslist, strictly that the posters had to pay to list their ads? Or do prostitutes not post on craigslist? AFAIK Newmark hasn't had to deal with any of this. I'd be interested to know if there is something similar and legal in countries that allow prostitution (Netherlands?). Seems like they were making a lot of revenue for what is basically ill…

There is a yelp for prostitution, aptly situated at hookers.nl; they might also have ads, I don't know (and I don't want to try from a corporate network). I feel I should add here that I know about the existence of this website because a number of years ago a somewhat famous politician was forced to resign, partly because of his posting history on that website, so at the time it was widely talked about in mainstream…

There have been a couple shut down in the US, at least one of which allowed both prostitutes and clients to review each other. Which probably made the business safer for everyone involved.

Re: Backpage Raided, CEO Arrested on Sex-Trafficking Charges

#13
post #5

Even if you are morally opposed to prostitution, is there really any benefit to authorities when you remove a centralized location and move it to the street or many different websites? If you really want to manage the prostitution "problem", having it all on a single website seems like a benefit for managing and researching the issue.

Most sex workers agree that their safety is improved dramatically by having the business side of it out in the open. And, there have been studies on sex worker safety that indicate strongly that legal prostitution is safer for everyone; it also reduces coercion when it is not underground (women don't need a pimp, if law enforcement is on their side).

Since I started paying attention a few years ago, I've noticed that most commentary from law enforcement and politicians on the subject of prostitution frames it as "human trafficking" or just "trafficking", even when there were no non-consenting parties involved (and nearly all prostitution is between consenting adults). It is misleading, unethical, and actively harmful to the safety of the people they're claiming to help, but, they do it anyway. The implication that someone is being forced into sexual slavery makes them seem like the good guys in the story...when, in reality, they're mostly just harassing and imprisoning poor women who are making an honest living the best way they know how.

Of course no one wants to see children being sexually abused. No one wants to see children or otherwise at-risk people forced into prostitution. But, that's already illegal; they don't have to victimize all sex workers to pursue and prosecute those crimes.

The kicker here is that the police found these kids who had been forced into sexual slavery because of the ads on this site. Had it been completely underground, they wouldn't have found them, wouldn't have been able to set up a sting, and wouldn't have been able to get the girls out of a dangerous and abusive situation. Now, it goes further underground, where the risk is even higher.

Re: Backpage Raided, CEO Arrested on Sex-Trafficking Charges

#14
post #7
post #5

Even if you are morally opposed to prostitution, is there really any benefit to authorities when you remove a centralized location and move it to the street or many different websites? If you really want to manage the prostitution "problem", having it all on a single website seems like a benefit for managing and researching the issue.

Same could be said for the legalisation of drugs. Central online repository, good for research.

Good idea, right!

Re: Backpage Raided, CEO Arrested on Sex-Trafficking Charges

#15
post #9

Is the distinction between this page and the kind of things posted on craigslist, strictly that the posters had to pay to list their ads? Or do prostitutes not post on craigslist? AFAIK Newmark hasn't had to deal with any of this. I'd be interested to know if there is something similar and legal in countries that allow prostitution (Netherlands?). Seems like they were making a lot of revenue for what is basically ill…

I posted a new thread w/ the NYT link [1], [2] because it had this helpful tidbit: A congressional investigation this year found that the website changed some of its adult classifieds to conceal the fact that the advertisements were for sex acts with minors. Mr. Ferrer was subpoenaed by a Senate subcommittee last fall to answer questions about reported child sex-trafficking ads, but he did not show up. Found to be co…

Ah, that changes everything about this. I can't believe anyone would skip that detail when writing about this.

Re: Backpage Raided, CEO Arrested on Sex-Trafficking Charges

#18
post #9

Is the distinction between this page and the kind of things posted on craigslist, strictly that the posters had to pay to list their ads? Or do prostitutes not post on craigslist? AFAIK Newmark hasn't had to deal with any of this. I'd be interested to know if there is something similar and legal in countries that allow prostitution (Netherlands?). Seems like they were making a lot of revenue for what is basically ill…

I posted a new thread w/ the NYT link [1], [2] because it had this helpful tidbit: A congressional investigation this year found that the website changed some of its adult classifieds to conceal the fact that the advertisements were for sex acts with minors. Mr. Ferrer was subpoenaed by a Senate subcommittee last fall to answer questions about reported child sex-trafficking ads, but he did not show up. Found to be co…

NYT actually got the charges correct. The article in the above thread is incorrect about trafficking charges. It was conspiracy and pimping a minor.

Link to full complaint: https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press_releases/F...

Re: Backpage Raided, CEO Arrested on Sex-Trafficking Charges

#20
FWIW, this headline is not completely accurate. The story itself says further down the page, "Ferrer was arrested on felony charges of pimping a minor, pimping, and conspiracy to commit pimping." None of these are actually trafficking charges; they're run-of-the-mill prostitution charges.

There's also a story from a young girl who was forced into sex work, which is certainly awful, and some stuff about studies and claims of sex trafficking, but there's a clickbait factor to the headline. There are a variety of new state and federal laws on sex trafficking which were passed in recent years, and nobody associated with Backpage has been charged under any of them, afaict.

Post reply on HN