[infopop]

This week the US Senate passed SESTA (the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act). A slightly different version, FOSTA, had previously passed the House.

As Gizmodo explains,

SESTA was prompted by a case involving Backpage.com, in which executives of the site were arrested on charges of pimping a minor, pimping, and conspiracy to commit pimping. Backpage’s “adult” section was allegedly used for prostitution, however courts dismissed the case based on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. That little section of the law is one of the most important reasons we have the internet that we do today. It allows companies to avoid most legal liability for content created by others. It’s a big reason social media networks can exist, and it’s also important for messaging, email, comments, and numerous other online services...

...SESTA weakens Section 230 in an effort to give sex trafficking victims greater ability to sue websites and state prosecutors the ability to hold companies criminally liable for user-generated content.

Responding to this, Craigslist has taken their Personals offline to avoid possible liability.

XBIZ reports on further reaction.

SESTA, which doesn’t differentiate between sex trafficking and consensual sex work, targets scores of adult sites that consensual sex workers use to advertise their work.

And now, before SESTA reaches President Trump’s desk for his guaranteed signature, those sites are scrambling to prevent themselves from being charged under sex trafficking laws...

...Today, longtime city-by-city escort service website, CityVibe.com, completely disappeared, only to be replaced with a message, “Sorry, this website is not available.” Its operators did not respond for XBIZ comment by post time...

...Motherboard reported today that at least six porn performers have complained that files have been blocked without warning from Google’s cloud storage service...

...Reddit made an announcement late yesterday explaining that the site has changed its content policy, forbidding “transactions for certain goods and services” that include “physical sexual contact.”

A number of subreddits regularly used to help sex workers have been completedly banned. Those include r/Escorts, r/MaleEscorts and r/SugarDaddy.

For CFS, I am considering closing the site CRUISING for ESCORTS (CFE) containing customer-written escort reviews. Keith, the founder of CFS, had started CFE in the early 2000s.

However, traffic and interest at CFE had already declined mainly due to the termination of a linking agreement with a related site a few years back. It may be best to concentrate solely on CFS.

I don't expect personals and hookup apps and sites to go away in response to SESTA. It's a developing story and response and I'm not going to react hastily.

Bob ~ Manager/Editor

[jonn3]

This is going to be an interesting one to follow - as with most things Congress has reacted rather than acting - they did a knee jerk reaction law rather than fulling researching all the implications.

Craigslist closing their personals has received a lot of press - but depending on the interpretation of the law this could have a far reaching implications to many adult businesses.

[gigboy]

Since CL is down, maybe that will drive more interest in CFS. It would be nice. I've had some hot times here in the past.

[infopop]

I am seeing more posts both for the Sex Listings and the Message Board. I'm sorry that I had to close the Communal Stalls site, but the way it was set up would have been an administrative nightmare under SESTA.

Also, I am definitely going to close the CruisingForEscorts.com site.

Bob ~ Manager/Editor

[jonn3]

How they can hold the website responsible is beyond me...

If I get in a traffic accident can I sue the state for having built the road? If someone wants to use a personal ad to meet they understand there are some risks involved. But if you go to a bar and meet someone there are also risks involved.

[infopop]

Following up on this, actual sex workers - as opposed to people like us "amateurs" who have sex as a hobby or vocation, I suppose - have a new option after SESTA/FOSTA.

XBIZ reports about a new service called "Switter" (e.g., Sex Worker Twitter) which has debuted:

Assembly Four, a partially anonymous Australian company making tech for SWers, teamed up with SWer and SAAS marketer Lola Hunt to create Switter “as a direct response to [the] changes” caused by SESTA/FOSTA.

The social media of site has been exploding, growing by over 6,000 users this week to a total over 8,000 members, many of whom are “tooting” (sending status updates) from the U.S. The community is known as an “instance” of the open source social network Mastodon, making it basically one of a network of Twitter-like message boards that can communicate with one another.

Hunt explained to XBIZ that the SESTA/ FOSTA legislation “not only impacts the sex worker community but [also affects] anyone who has privacy and censorship concerns.”

Switter does its best to address these privacy concerns, with a server in Australia (where sex work is legal) and an Austrian domain name. Mastodon Founder and Developer Eugen Rochko told XBIZ, “Twitter, Reddit and other sites are starting to ban sex workers from their platforms, while Switter is not affected by [the legislation]” because it is not U.S.-based.

It's a big world out there, and of course RENTMENT, probably the largest western gay escort site, is based in Europe - again not subject to SESTA/FOSTA.

I'm sure that regardless of Craiglist's decision non-sex-worker personal ads will continue in the US. We here at CFS will do our part to make it so.

Bob S. ~ Manager/Editor

[jonn3]

The one thing Craigslist had going for it was it is NOT a sex website - I know a number of married guys who would occasionally use the personals and felt safer because it was "just Craigslist" - it was not like making the mental / emotional leap to actually signing up for a sex website.

[infopop]

I can understand that. On CL the Personals and the Missed Connections were just a couple categories among many dozens.

"Honey, what are you doing?" "Just looking at Craigslist... There's an ad that looks like a great deal on a big Harley-Davidson hog."

[jonn3]

Exactly - no need to clear browser history - if someone catches a glimpse most likely they will not realize you are looking for sex.

One married guy I know that was the only site he would use.

I wonder now that it is gone as the sexual tension builds up will he dare try other places like CFS?

[infopop]

You can always browse using a "Private" or "Incognito" window (under Firefox and Chrome, I don't know about Safari, etc.). This type of browsing doesn't go into your browser history.

I've also used a "Private" window (shhh!) to look at news web sites that limit you to only five or ten pages before demanding you sign up for a subscription.

For CFS, I do think something less graphical, stripped down, and with easier navigation would make things a lot better for the many, many mobile users.

[ApartmentGloryhole]

Apparently doublelist (com) is replacing CL. Someone registered the site the same day CL took down the personals. Not sure if they are behind it or not but the place is picking up very quickly! The site is also registered in France, so fuck FOSTA lol...

[infopop]

Now XBIZ reports that Trump has signed SESTA/FOSTA into law.

[WeHoSlut90069]

Doublelist has changed what ads and pictures tiger accept now

[jonn3]

Amazing how fast sites like CL get scared off.

[gigboy]

Originally Posted by jonn3

Amazing how fast sites like CL get scared off.

I thinks it's because they make so much money on the non-sex hookups part of their business. So, they don't want their money maker business jeopardized.