Attorneys General Upset That Craigslist Is Profiting From Procedure He Forced Craigslist To Put In Place
from the banging-your-head-on-the-virtual-wall dept
The grandstanding of some Attorneys General never ceases — even when they created the “problem” they’re now grandstanding against. Case in point: Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and his crusade against Craigslist. Two years ago, Blumenthal blamed Craigslist for prostitution ads that appear on the site. Blumenthal, as the state Attorney General should know about the law, right? He should know that he has no legal basis for this complaint, and that under Section 230 of the CDA, Craigslist is not liable for the actions of its users. In fact, legal attempts to pin the blame for such ads on Craigslist have been quickly dismissed on just those grounds. Even more importantly, from a common sense standpoint, Blumenthal should realize that when police work with Craigslist in partnership, they’re able to use it as an effective tool to track down lawbreakers who use the site.
But that doesn’t get headlines.
Instead, Blumenthal, based on no legal basis whatsoever, used his soapbox (along with some other attorneys general) to get Craigslist to changing its policies on “adult” advertisements. Whereas, previously, those ads had been free, Craigslist now required that anyone putting up such ads pay for them with a valid credit card, eliminating many of the ads and making it much, much easier to track down whoever placed them in the first place. You would think that would make the AGs happy. Six months later, however, the AGs were still upset, and got Craigslist to change again, boosting the fee on such ads from $5 to $10 and reviewing more of the ads.
Almost all of these moves came in response to public posturing and baseless legal threats from Blumenthal. So what’s he doing now?
He’s apparently doing more public posturing and issuing more baseless legal threats, because Craigslist stands to make an awful lot of money from these ads — the very same ads that Craigslist only started charging for because of Blumenthal’s pressure:
“I believe Craigslist acted irresponsibly when it unilaterally decided to keep the profits from these posts,” Mr. Blumenthal wrote in the letter…
Yes, and I believe Blumenthal acted irresponsibly when he put bogus grandstanding pressure on Craigslist to put in place the tollbooth in the first place. At what point does he recognize that Craigslist isn’t the target here. It’s the people using Cragslist to break the law — and that Craigslist is more than willing to help law enforcement track down those law breakers?
Filed Under: attorney general, connecticut
Companies: craigslist
Comments on “Attorneys General Upset That Craigslist Is Profiting From Procedure He Forced Craigslist To Put In Place”
Given it to Blumenthal?
I mean was Craigslist supposed to give the money collected from these ads over to Blumenthal and his buddies or something? Sounds like this guy is pissed he isn’t seeing any of that cash being handed to him.
Re: Given it to Blumenthal?
Well duh! He may have gotten his start in the legal community, but now he’s a politician.
Why are you surprised?
Re: Given it to Blumenthal?
A little “political contribution” will make all these go away I am sure.
Bah!
Re: Given it to Blumenthal?
I’m not sure I understand how it’s irresponsible for a company to keep the profits from a fee that it was politically pressured into charging its clients.
He uses the term unilaterally as if Craigslist needed to confer with the AG before deciding to keep profits. If that quote was not taken out of context then it’s basically the AG asking for a donation of cash. There has to be more.
Re: Re: Given it to Blumenthal?
ok Blumenthal is a card carrying MORON. I did some digging and I get it now. He’s upset that they Craiglist stopped donating the money to charity. If you look at the main two charities they were donating to, you find that they are founded by, Craigslist.
So Craigslist was being a normal corporation and taking money from one of its pockets and moving to another pocket and calling it charity.
If I donate money to my own charity, don’t I get to claim it as an expense to reduce my taxable income? And then I get to accept it as a tax free donation in my other hand. Not a bad deal.
Re: Given it to Blumenthal?
actually they originally said they would give the money to charity, something like projects against abuse or something.
Re: Re: Given it to Blumenthal?
“actually they originally said they would give the money to charity, something like projects against abuse or something.”
Citation? Not that I don’t believe you, but if that’s correct it completely changes my opinion on this matter….
Re: Re: Re: Given it to Blumenthal?
Citation? Not that I don’t believe you, but if that’s correct it completely changes my opinion on this matter….
It’s sort of true. When they made the original announcement (the $5 charge) in late 2008, they promised that money would go to charities related to these issues. A few months later, when the various AGs who had agreed to the original deal started complaining that it wasn’t enough, Craigslist upped the fee to $10, promised to hire people to monitor posts and said that it would no longer *say* how all the money would be used. That was mainly because it realized it needed to use some of that money to hire people to monitor posts — and, separately, that as a private company, it had no need to tell anyone what it did with its money. They never said they wouldn’t contribute to such groups any more. The decision was based on the need to use that money to fund the new jobs monitoring those feeds.
Re: Re: Re:2 Given it to Blumenthal?
So, long story short:
1. At $5, they agreed to give the money to charity
2. The AGs bitched and got them to change the arrangement
3. Under new arrangement, they promised nothing
4. Dark Helmet no longer has a problem with Craig’s List
5. ???
6. PROFIT!
Re: Given it to Blumenthal?
I’m angry at Craigslist for cooperating with these scummy politicians/cops in the first place. If giving away sex for free is legal why should paying for it be legal? freedom should reign no matter how offensive it is to people. Whether its prostitution or random harassing comments on DirtyPhoneBook or anything of the sort, the busybodies of the world SHOULD NOT be involved with CONTROLLING the lives of others.
Hmmm...
Maybe he just wants a discount?
Re: Hmmm...
yeah he does seem to be the sort that prostitutes himself to the highest bidder…
“”I believe Craigslist acted irresponsibly when it unilaterally decided to keep the profits from these posts,””
Two things …
dont corporations tend to keep the profits they earn?
and what a silly little man.
Why don't you just tell me the name of the movie you want to see?
Can he just come out and tell us exactly what he would like craigslist to do? Get to the point!
election
Realize this moron is just making noise to help his election.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/nyregion/07blumenthal.html
Paying for your own advertising is expensive. Why not get your name in the paper some other way!
And Furthermore
“I believe Craigslist acted irresponsibly when it unilaterally decided to keep the profits from these posts,” Mr. Blumenthal wrote in the letter…
“…the correct use of those funds is in my campaign coffers.”
American Dream...
It is good to know that the American Dream is still alive. Especially for those that would qualify to participate in the Special Olympics for common sense and basic logic.
Maybe one day we can finally grow up and realize that sex isn’t dirty in America.
I always love when politicians fight against adult services. Maybe they just see too much of themselves???
Freedom
Re: American Dream...
“Maybe one day we can finally grow up and realize that sex isn’t dirty in America.”
It’s fun when it is though!
Oh not Mike its not that using Craigslist as a tool to stop lawbreakers doesn’t make headlines. The problem is, the eyes of those AGs, is that if they use things like Craigslist as an effective tool and make a significant impact on crime that runs the risk of him not having something to complain about meaning he wouldn’t get as many headlines.
Its like the “teach a man to fish….” proverb in reverse. If there is a significant impact against crime then that means they won’t have their soapbox to stand on to complain thus resulting in not as many headlines. Sadly I think its true if Craigslist were used effectively AGs would have to find some other “cause” to get attetion with. They don’t care about punishing crooks they care about getting attention which translates into money, votes, power, status, etc…
“unilaterally”…which means he seriously believes there is a “multilateral” option….very strange.
so mr blumenthal, where DID you get that $50million for your election costs?
“oh THAT….its from adverts for anal, fisting, and one lady who does something very interesting with a potato masher………”.
Dumb a$$
Wow, here really is a dumb a$$
*sigh* Again...
Blumenthal could be doing something more constructive…
I’ve notice a majority of crimes happen on concrete & asphalt–obviously these substances are a detriment to society given the number of crimes they assist. He should be working on removing these far more insidious hazards!
It's no surprise,
Moral panics and the demogoguery they inspire is the primary weapon in the politician’s arsenal.
“This thing, though thanks to cooperation from everyone involved, has never been easier to investigate, is a problem! Won’t someone think of the children, who thanks to exposure to technology since birth, may actually make them more savvy to the possible dangers of this issue than we are!”
I’m seriously trying to figure out how somebody that mind-numbingly stupid can get to such a high office. Anybody with a lick of common sense should be able to figure out that CL isn’t the problem. Retard.
Re: Re:
“I’m seriously trying to figure out how somebody that mind-numbingly stupid can get to such a high office.”
It’s Connecticut. I imagine that moral panics and WASPs go together like peanut butter and jelly….
Re: Re:
Well-connected people, however useless they may be, tend to get promoted up rather than let go. The further up in management and/or position, the less real damage they can inflict on real-life, day-to-day operations and activities.
Granted, this is usually more prevalent within large corporations, but lawyers and governments can be subject to this phenomenon, too. Otherwise, how can you possibly explain Joe Biden?
You guys are lucky just to have one IDIOT.
I have a state-full (California) of Elected IDIOTS.
Re: elected idiots
We here in CT have all elected idiots. . The whole state loves Democrats. We have full repsentation in DC with Democrats. Our legislature is controlled by Dems. Our budget is in the red big time. Only 32% of the gas tax is used for transportation. We get only 69% of every dollar back that we send to DC. We have the 2nd highest electric rates. Bluementhal has sued everyone and it is no wonder we keep losing businesses and jobs.
Spitzer part deux
It seems to me that the people who yell the loudest about these types of things are typically doing it themselves. Look at Elliot Spitzer – is Blumenthal cut from the same cloth? Is he blasting Craiglist to deflect attention from his own activities? I think someone in the FBI should be investigating him. What a knob.
Email
Email is used for communicating to prostitutes. Shouldn’t Blumenthal be asking Microsoft to stop selling Outlook and for all ISP’s to stop sending emails? What a knob.
Marios boy
I thought it was Cuomo’s little boy Andy that was the most at fault for this Craigslist crap?
Why would they be upset about it – unless the goal was to eliminate competition for other online auction sites?
Perhaps other ‘illicit’ auction sites… they do in fact exist, I found one when I previously worked for a law firm.. lol
“I believe Craigslist acted irresponsibly when it unilaterally decided to keep the profits from these posts,” Mr. Blumenthal wrote in the letter…
Yeah what the hell where they thinking, turning that into a revenue stream when they clearly should have ear marked that money for the reelection campaign, like Mr. Blu’s. Here he went out of his way to help them create a revenue stream and they didn’t pony up his cut.
Hunh – funny that Richard Blumenthal’s party affiliation (D) is absent from this post. Doesn’t techdirt have a style guide?
Party Affiliation
Hunh – funny that Richard Blumenthal’s party affiliation (D) is absent from this post. Doesn’t techdirt have a style guide?
Re: Party Affiliation
Hunh – funny that Richard Blumenthal’s party affiliation (D) is absent from this post. Doesn’t techdirt have a style guide?
Funny, I don’t see you complaining when it’s a Republican party affiliation that is not stated.
Re: Party Affiliation
Hunh – funny that Richard Blumenthal’s party affiliation (D) is absent from this post. Doesn’t techdirt have a style guide?
Yes. We don’t mention party affiliation either way, unless it’s central to the story (such as a PARTY doing something). If it’s just an individual politician, we don’t mention their affiliation at all.
Otherwise we get idiots arguing over partisan politics rather than the issue.
If you want a perfect example of a very similar story involving a Republican Attorney General upset at Craigslist, look here:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090506/0156594762.shtml
Nearly identical story, accept the AG is a Republican. Notice what’s not there? Party affiliation. We don’t mention it if it’s not part of the story to keep people from making everything partisan.
Interesting to note that after Craigslist complied with his request, he still wnats mor eand still blames Craiglist. They should see this as an opportuntiy and work with Craiglsit to nail down these guys instead they throw a wrench and go against what could be an effectiv etool for them to fight this.That’s what yo uget when people don’t think strategically.
Who is worth electing
I understand your frustration jschmidt but it’s not like the Republicans are any better.
When was the last time you truly respected and admired a person in government from CT (state or federal)?
No one seems to believe in individual liberty anymore. If they do they sure as hell aren’t running for office in either party.
Blumenthal deserves a worthy competitor, a Republican who will rake him over the coals for his BS. Hopefully such a candidate will step forward to run against him. I have little confidence in his current competitors.
This is a shitty “article”, and I use that word very loosely.
When Craigslist originally started charging for the ads, they donated that money to charity.
The “article” pulls Blumenthal’s quote out of context.
What he is referring to is not Craigslist making money, but when Craigslist decided to stop giving the money from those ads to charity.
The point stands, but this is a poorly written piece that shows why internet sites and their “articles” are rarely regarded as journalism.
Craigslist
If law & politics were so simple?
Is Blumenthal maybe worried that he’ll be found out, just like his buddy, former NY AG Elliott Spitzer?
Slip some extra money to the attorney and call it even 🙂
Interesting article however I do believe that Craiglist did donate the money to charity when they were charging for ads.