Craigslist is saying goodbye to personal ads, which allowed users to seek romantic or sexual connections, after the government passed a new law aimed to stop sex trafficking.
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Earlier this week, the Senate voted to enact the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, which means websites will be accountable for hosting sex trafficking content; and victims and prosecutors will be able to more easily sue corporations in violation.
The classified advertisement website announced its decision to do away with personals in a statement Friday:
“US Congress just passed HR 1865, “FOSTA”, seeking to subject websites to criminal and civil liability when third parties (users) misuse online personals unlawfully.
Any tool or service can be misused. We can’t take such risk without jeopardizing all our other services, so we are regretfully taking craigslist personals offline. Hopefully we can bring them back some day.
To the millions of spouses, partners, and couples who met through craigslist, we wish you every happiness!”
Craigslist launched more than 20 years ago, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, for sale, items wanted, discussion forums and other services. The personals section, still visible on the site’s homepage, now redirects users to the above message.
President Donald Trump has not yet signed the FOSTA bill.
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