Microsoft Word - craigslist final statement with signatures 110308.doc

JOINT STATEMENT

craigslist, the Attorneys General listed below, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited

Children ("NCMEC"), announce new measures that craigslist is taking to help combat unlawful activity

and improve public safety on its web site.

This agreement culminates a series of discussions and in person meetings between Jim Buckmaster,

CEO of craigslist, Richard Blumenthal, Attorney General of the State of Connecticut, and NCMEC.

craigslist is a popular internet classifieds service that provides the public with many benefits. Like

all communication tools, it can unfortunately be misused to facilitate unlawful activity.

craigslist has a long record of implementing measures to prevent misuse of its web site, assisting

law enforcement investigations, and of improving safety for craigslist users. Law enforcement personnel

have called craigslist's attention to misuse of craigslist's "erotic services" category to facilitate unlawful

activity. This problem requires new safeguards for craigslist and new ways of working together with law

enforcement. Further innovation and collaboration in addressing these issues will be beneficial for the

safety of craigslist users and the general public. Accordingly, craigslist, the Attorneys General, and

NCMEC, announce the following measures for combating unlawful activity and improving public safety

on craigslist:

I. DIGITAL TAGGING, COMMUNITY FLAGGING, ELECTRONIC SCREENING

• craigslist has implemented a community self-policing program which allows users to "flag" a

posting the user believes violates the terms of use, including the prohibition against pornography.

The objectionable posting is eliminated automatically if it receives above a threshold number of

flags.

• craigslist uses electronic screening to block certain advertisements that craigslist believes will

violate its Terms of Use before they are posted.

• craigslist digitally tags adult sections of the site using industry standard PICS rating headers to

facilitate the effectiveness of PC-based parental screening software.

II. TELEPHONE VERIFICATION

• craigslist has implemented a telephone verification system for the "erotic services" section of the

site requiring any person seeking to post an advertisement to provide a working telephone number.

• Telephone verification enables craigslist to permanently block the phone number of any person

posting unlawful or inappropriate advertisements.

III. CREDIT CARD VERIFICATION AND FEE TO POST

• craigslist plans to implement credit card verification and fee to post for its "erotic services"

category. Persons wishing to post ads in this category will be required to pay a fee using a valid

credit card.

• Credit card verification and fee to post will reduce ad volume significantly, and encourage more

responsible usage.

• Credit Card verification provides additional identifying information that will enable craigslist to

block the accounts of persons who violate craigslist's terms of use.

• credit card information would be available to law enforcement agencies through a subpoena

process.

• craigslist plans to contribute 100% of the net revenues from these advertisements to charity. A

public accounting firm will verify the net revenue amounts.

IV. LEGAL ACTION AGAINST SPAM OPERATORS

• Misuse of craigslist is facilitated by companies providing spamming, posting, and/or flagging

services. These businesses seek financial profit by providing services and/or software that

circumvent craigslist's terms of use and defense mechanisms or facilitate circumvention by other

persons.

• craigslist has initiated (or will soon initiate) lawsuits against a number of these companies that

violate craigslist's terms of use (or facilitate the violation of craigslist's terms of use by others).

• craigslist will provide evidence of unlawful activity by these operators to the Attorneys General for

potential prosecution.

V. COOPERATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT

• craigslist has developed search capabilities that enhance its ability to assist NCMEC and law

enforcement agencies to locate missing persons, and identify exploited minors and victims of

human trafficking.

• craigslist is continuing its development efforts in this area to further enhance its ability to assist law

enforcement NCMEC and even social welfare agencies in their efforts to protect children from this

type of victimization.

• craigslist will cooperate with law enforcement utilizing the subpoena process.

VI. HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CHILD EXPLOITATION AWARENESS

• craigslist is visited by more than 40 million Americans each month, generating more than 12 billion

monthly page views. Information presented by craigslist can help raise awareness among

Americans regarding the enormous suffering caused by human trafficking and the exploitation of

minors in this country.

• craigslist, the Attorneys General, and NCMEC will work together to further refine and improve

educational materials that are currently available on craigslist.

VII. FUTURE EFFORTS

• craigslist and the Attorneys General will meet on a regular basis to discuss design and functionality

improvements to combat unlawful activity and improve safety on its web site.

• craigslist will explore the implementation and use of technology that prevents image uploads likely

to violate its terms of use.

• craigslist will work with the Attorneys General to develop more robust electronic screening of

language used in craigslist postings.

Jim Buckmaster Ernie Allen

President and Chief Executive Officer President and Chief Executive Officer

craigslist, Inc. National Center for Missing and Exploited

Children

Richard Blumenthal Terry Goddard

Attorney General of Connecticut Attorney General of Arizona

Dustin B. McDaniel John W. Suthers

Attorney General of Arkansas Attorney General of Colorado

Richard S. Gebelein Peter J. Nickles

Acting Attorney General of Delaware Attorney General of the District of Columbia

Thurbert E. Baker Alicia G. Limtiaco

Attorney General of Georgia Attorney General of Guam

Mark J. Bennett Lawrence G. Wasden

Attorney General of Hawaii Attorney General of Idaho

Lisa Madigan Stephen Carter

Attorney General of Illinois Attorney General of Indiana

Tom Miller Steve Six

Attorney General of Iowa Attorney General of Kansas

Jack Conway James D. “Buddy” Caldwell

Attorney General of Kentucky Attorney General of Louisiana

Steven Rowe Douglas F. Gansler

Attorney General of Maine Attorney General of Maryland

Jim Hood Mike McGrath

Attorney General of Mississippi Attorney General of Montana

Jon Bruning Catherine Cortez Masto

Attorney General of Nebraska Attorney General of Nevada

Kelly A. Ayotte Anne Milgram

Attorney General of New Hampshire Attorney General of New Jersey

Gary King Roy Cooper

Attorney General of New Mexico Attorney General of North Carolina

Wayne Stenehjem Nancy H. Rogers

Attorney General of North Dakota Attorney General of Ohio

Drew Edmondson Hardy Myers

Attorney General of Oklahoma Attorney General of Oregon

Tom Corbett Patrick C. Lynch

Attorney General of Pennsylvania Attorney General of Rhode Island

Henry McMaster Lawrence E. Long

Attorney General of South Carolina Attorney General of South Dakota

Robert E. Cooper, Jr. Mark L. Shurtleff

Attorney General of Tennessee Attorney General of Utah

William H. Sorrell Vincent F. Frazer

Attorney General of Vermont Attorney General of the Virgin Islands

Robert F. McDonnell Rob McKenna

Attorney General of Virginia Attorney General of Washington

Darrell V. McGraw, Jr. J. B. Van Hollen

Attorney General of West Virginia Attorney General of Wisconsin

Bruce A. Salzburg

Attorney General of Wyoming