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Cook County, Illinois Sheriff Sues Craigslist Over

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
On 5 March 2009, the Associated Press reported that Cook County, Illinois Sheriff Tom Dart had filed a lawsuit against Craigslist, a website that maintains a listing of classified advertisements. Dart alleges that the site facilitates prostitution by refusing to monitor ads appearing in its "Erotic Services" section. According to Dart's court filing, which contains numerous examples of the Craigslist postings offering sex for money, the "Erotic Services" forum invites illegal behavior. Dart alleges that Craigslist does not adequately monitor its site for illegal prostitution solicitations, referring to a situation where police officers posed as minors advertising sex in a posting that was not removed by Craigslist.

Nationally, there have been numerous arrests resulting from ads posted on Craigslist's "Erotic Services" section. A number of states have recently reached agreements with Craigslist whereby the company agreed to increase its efforts to discourage the use of its site for illegal prostitution activity.    

Craigslist disputes Dart's allegations, contending that it works with law enforcement to prevent the solicitation of prostitution on the site.

Compiled from: Don Babwin, Cook County, Ill. sheriff files lawsuit against Craigslist over 'erotic services' ads, Associated Press (5 March 2009); Thomas Dart, Sheriff of Cook County v. Craigslist, Inc. (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division 2009) (No. 09CV 1385).

For More Information:

Please visit the Trafficking in Women section of this site.

Uploaded Documents:
Dart_v_Craigslist 8.pdf
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