Craigslist Responds to Letters from Trafficked Kids

It took him a month and a couple high-profile news stories, but Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster has finally answered the ads two young girls who were sold for sex on his website placed in the Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle. He published the response as an open letter on Craigslist's blog. And while he points out some good stuff Craigslist has done to combat sex trafficking, he also makes some pretty problematic claims.

You can read the full response here, but I've pulled out a few of the highlights and points of contention. First and most laudably, they point out that anyone with any information about illegal activities going on on Craigslist can email them at legal@craigslist.org. If you're on Craigslist and you spot something sketchy, please let them know about it. You can also call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888- 3737-888 or local law enforcement if you suspect human trafficking on Craigslist. However, after their request for more information, their defense starts to crumble pretty rapidly.

The basic gist of the response is that while it sucks a few criminals are using Craigslist to sell sex with kids, it's really not Craigslist's fault and they're doing more than their competition to prevent sex trafficking on their site. They point out that they manually screen ads, and that they've worked with law enforcement in the past to identify pimps selling children. This is true, though demonstrably ineffective since the trafficking of children for sex on Craigslist continues. And they're comments don't address the lack of transparency about the screening process. However, some of other their statements are even more problematic. For example, "Craigslist is one of the few bright spots and success stories in the critical fight against trafficking and child exploitation."

Sorry, but no. Major national newspapers like the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune stopped advertising for adult services because so many ended up being fronts for illegal commercial sex operations, including sex trafficking. Other online classified sites like Kijiji.com have also gone erotic services-free.  I could easily name 50 companies who have more effectively combated trafficking and child exploitation than Craigslist without also facilitating the problem they fight. Craiglist has not been a bright spot, it has been a challenge.

They also claim that activists and politicians who criticize them in public "grudgingly admit (when pressed) that we have made giant strides." Well, I admit (completely without grudge) that Craigslist has taken steps to combat child sex trafficking. But they haven't been effective steps. It's like deciding to go on an all-ice cream diet (yum!) when your goal is to lose weight. Sure, it's a diet in name, but it's not one that's going to shrink your waist anytime soon. You can stick with it, pat yourself on the back for your new "diet," and gain weight, or you can change your strategy to actually get the results you desire. And right now, Craigslist is getting fat off the sex trafficking of minors.

So far, Craigslist's main defense against criticism is that no one is picking on their competitors, which is mostly true (although the Washington Post has gotten their share of flack for similar advertisements). Craigslist is a leader in their field, and with that level of leadership comes a level of responsibility. Yes, we are asking Craigslist to set an industry standard in the same way we at Change.org have asked the leaders in other industries, like cocoa and diamonds, to set standards. And we'll continue to ask them to set higher standards until reports of sex trafficking on their site stop flowing.

Craigslist's sex trafficking diet isn't working, and it's time for them to re-strategize. It's up to them to decide whether they are going to step up and take responsibility or continue to whine and shift blame. And it's up to you to help urge them in the right direction.

Photo credit: Pink Sherbert Photography