Sex for Sale

The other day Henrico police nabbed eight people in a prostitution sting out near the airport. The undercover officer posing as a customer contacted escort services listed in the phone book and on Craigslist.

Craigslist, an Internet company offering free online classified advertising, maintains an Erotic Services section. According to Cook County, Ill., Sheriff Thomas Dart, who has filed a federal lawsuit against Craigslist's owners, "Craigslist is the single largest source of prostitution in the nation." News reports have cited ads offering "erotic wrestling," "sensual massage," and other services -- with photos not suitable for printing in what are commonly referred to as family newspapers.

In November, Craigslist entered into an agreement with 43 state attorneys general, including Virginia's Bob McDonnell (currently the de facto GOP nominee for governor) to discourage such illegal activity. Craigslist now charges $5 and requires credit-card data and a real phone number for ads in that section. The company says proceeds will be given to charity. Craigslist will turn identifying information over to law enforcement if required by subpoena.

Jim Buckmaster, Craigslist's CEO, says ads for erotic services have plummeted since November. But there is still a market for them. The convenience and (former) anonymity of the ads could make it easier for persons who otherwise might not find employment with a traditional escort service -- such as minors or persons with sexually transmitted diseases -- to sell themselves directly to customers. And some escorts say the heightened risk doesn't dissuade them: "If you get arrested, it's a few hundred dollars' bail, a few hours in jail, and you're out," said one. "It's worth it."

Shutting down Craigslist's Erotic Services section might not put much of a dent in prostitution, any more than putting a cop on one corner keeps hookers from plying their trade across town. But Craigslist has become a major online presence around the world; 30 million ads are posted on it every month.

In an interview with Business Week five years ago, CEO Buckmaster said "our primary mindset is philanthropic" and that "we're a public service first." With that in mind, it's fair to ask whether Craigslist doesn't have a responsibility to police its content more carefully -- and if the steps it has taken so far fall too short.