Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Craigslist confirmed Wednesday is getting rid of its "erotic services" ads and will create a new adult category that Web site employees will review.

CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports law enforcement officials in Chicago feel they were instrumental in the shutdown.

In an e-mailed statement a spokesperson for Craigslist would not say what exactly prompted the voluntary changes, but Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart believes the negative attention surrounding the so-called "Craigslist killer" and pressure from his office, including a lawsuit filed in federal court, played a key role.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office first made the announcement that Craigslist was dropping the section. Madigan's office said Wednesday that such existing ads on Craigslist will expire in seven days.

The new category, which will charge a fee, will be called "adult services," Craigslist said in a statement. Craigslist said employees will monitor every posting before it appears online -- a precaution the site has been criticized for refusing to take in the past. 

Madigan's office said the new section will also ban "nude or graphic photos," which are commonplace in the existing "erotic services" section.

Both Madigan and Dart said the change was long overdue.

"These are in fact ads for prostitution services," Madigan said.

"It was so blatant to any moron who went to that site, that this was prostitution," Dart said.

Madigan and the attorneys general for Connecticut and Missouri met with Craigslist officials last week seeking an end to ads they contend are advertisements for illegal sexual activities.

On the Erotic Services page for Craigslist Chicago, a "warning and disclaimer" appears before a user may view or post an ad, requiring that users must be at least 18, understand that "erotic services" may include adult content, and "agree to flag as 'prohibited' anything illegal or in violation of the craigslist terms of use. This includes, but is not limited to, offers for or the solicitation of prostitution."

There is also a warning reading, "Human trafficking and exploitation of minors are not tolerated - any suspected activity will be reported to law enforcement."

Craigslist attorney Eric Brandfonbrener, appearing in federal court for a hearing on Dart's lawsuit, told U.S. District Judge John Grady that Craigslist is undergoing changes he expects to satisfy the suit's concerns.

"My expectation is that it will be moot," Brandfonbrener told the judge.

Dart attorney Daniel Gallagher said he remained skeptical.

"They've made promises to attorneys general in the past," Gallagher said, noting that Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal had brokered an agreement with the site in November to crack down on prostitution ads after being contacted about several complaints about photographs depicting nudity.

"I'm not going to take their word for it, we want to see action," Gallagher said.

Blumenthal sounded equally skeptical.

"Closing the erotic services section -- a blatant Internet brothel -- should lead to other blocking and screening measures, and set a model for other sites, if Craigslist keeps its word," he said in a statement.

Even as the service vowed to make the changes, it defended itself against what it characterized as "sensationalistic journalism" about the site.

"The record is clear that use of Craigslist classifieds is associated with far lower rates of violent crime than print classifieds, let alone rates of violent crime pertaining to American society as a whole," the site's statement said.

The efforts by Madigan and other attorneys general came after a lawsuit by Dart, in which he claimed that Craigslist was "the single largest source of prostitution in the nation."

Some of the ads the sheriff's office cited in March included:

• "15 min $50 roses … 1 hour $150 roses"
• "Young – tight - & - just – right – 4 – you (exit I-94 Old Orchard Rd: Skokie)"
• "Due to the way the economy is I am willing to do almost anything to get money."
• "Are you looking to make some good money in this tough economy. Minimum pay is $25 per hour … performing duties specified in Naughty Nannies handbook."
• "Busty blonde pregnant beauty … 28 … Barrington Rd & I-90"
• "Teens for cash … $100 quickie"

"We're not naive. We know that prostitution has been around a long time," Madigan said. "We know that prostitution is not going to be eliminated, but we are doing all we are doing all we can to eliminate what had become really, the number one venue for prostitution services."

For now, both Madigan and Dart say Craigslist is taking a step in the right direction.

"We are excited to see that we may be closing this chapter, and we may be having some sanity go back to what otherwise can be and should be a very useful Web site," Dart said.

Both Dart and Madigan say their offices will continue to monitor Craigslist and other Web sites to make sure they are not breaking the law.

Dart also says if he finds that Craigslist is complying with the law, he will drop the lawsuit against the company. However, he still wants them to pay $150,000. He says that's a conservative estimate of how much his office has spent cracking down on prostitution on Craigslist.

CBS 2's Mai Martinez and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Editor's Picks

• Gay Celebrities
• Did You Know? Stars From Chicago!
• Celebs Who Lean To The Right
• Real Or Fake?