Craigslist will drop controversial "Erotic Services" category

Last week, CP featured an in-depth look into the hype surrounding "Craigslist Killings." Much of the controversy and opposition centered around the "Erotic Services" section of the website.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Sheriff Thomas Dart of Cook County in Illinois both wanted it removed. But Craigslist was defiant to keep the section, or defiant for a short while.

In the feature, Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster hinted that a deal was in the works:

Buckmaster says Craigslist welcomes the "constructive criticism" and confirms that the two sides are in the midst of hashing out a voluntary agreement. But don't expect Craigslist's most popular and controversial category to go away anytime soon.

Today the Associated Press is reporting that "Craigslist is getting rid of its 'erotic services' ads and will create a new adult category that will be reviewed by employees of the Web site."

BOSTON (Reuters) - Online classified site Craigslist will replace its "erotic services" ads with a new adult category "to bar flagrant prostitution and porn," the Connecticut attorney general's office said on Wednesday.

Craigslist's sex-service listings have faced intense scrutiny following the April 14 murder of 25-year-old masseuse Julissa Brisman, who advertised on Craigslist in Boston. Philip Markoff, a 23-year-old Boston University medical student, was charged with killing Brisman and with attacks on two other women he met through Craigslist.

Officials from Craigslist were not immediately available to comment.

The "erotic services" section will end within seven days and be replaced with a new section called "adult services" where every advertisement will be manually reviewed by Craigslist staff, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a statement.

We have called Craig Newmark on his cell phone for comment, but he's likely quite busy today. So the best insight into his thinking we can offer is his recent speech at the memorial for Katherine Olson, where he discussed his attitude toward personal responsibility in the Internet age: