The website Backpage. The classifieds website has been the focus of intense scrutiny over the issue of its sex ads, which have included those involving children being trafficked by adults. A Washington Post investigation last year found that Backpage was using a contractor in the Philippines to contact prostitutes on other websites, seeking to lure their ads to Backpage and creating the ads for those prostitutes in advance. Postal Service and the Internal Revenue Service. It said more information would be released later Friday by the Justice Department; a spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Embedded within prostitution ads on websites are a certain number of solicitations for children, anti-sex trafficking groups have said. Backpage has denied knowingly facilitating sex trafficking, and has noted that it cooperates with requests from law enforcement to help track down advertisers and victims. Some in the sex worker community have said the site provides them a safe way to meet clients, and that removing the site will make their lives more difficult.
The bill amended the Communications Decency Act and would enable state prosecutors and victims of sex trafficking to pursue website operators in both criminal and civil court. In court filings last year, Backpage revealed that it was being investigated by a grand jury in Phoenix, where the site was originally launched as part of the New Times alternative weekly newspaper chain.
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