Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has announced that the attorneys general in 42 other states have reached an agreement with Craigslist in which the online classified-ad Web site will crack down on inappropriate content and illegal activity in its erotic services section. The move is meant to prevent people from using online classified ads to facilitate prostitution, human trafficking, child exploitation and other illegal activities.
According to a statement from Hood's office, Craigslist will require that posters of erotic services ads give a working phone number and pay a fee with a valid credit card so this information can be supplied in response to law enforcement subpoenas. Craigslist also committed to sue 14 software and Internet companies that help erotic service ad posters circumvent the sites' defenses against inappropriate content and illegal activity for a fee.
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The Internet gives these criminals engaged in the sexual trafficking of children an easy and private way to shop for a child," Hood said in the news release. "As both a parent and Attorney General, that outrages me. I am determined that our office, through the Cyber Crime Fusion Center, will do everything in our power to come at child prostitution advertisements and other illegal activity.
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