South Carolina's attorney general has joined his colleagues in 45 other states in asking backpage.com to explain how it handles postings for adult services.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WACH, AP) -- South Carolina's attorney general has joined his colleagues in 45 other states in asking a classified ads website to explain how it handles postings for adult services.
Attorney General Alan Wilson says the ads with hourly rates on Backpage.com are obviously for prostitution.
Attorneys general across the country have sent a letter to Backpage.com saying the adult section of the classified ads site attracts people seeking to exploit minors. They want Backpage.com to prove it is monitoring the site to prevent illegal activity.
Wilson says people have been arrested in Charleston and Myrtle Beach on charges of running prostitution rings using the site.
An attorney for Backpage.com says he's working on a response, which is due by Wednesday.
A year ago then-Attorney General Henry McMaster signed onto a letter asking Village Voice Media-owned Backpage.com to develop better safeguards to keep prostitution and child trafficking ads out of other sections.
McMaster also took on Craigslist with 17 other attornies general. That site shut down its adult services section last year under pressure from prosecutors concerned that it was being used to promote prostitution.
Do you think on-line magazines are doing enough to prevent prostitution and child trafficking ads from being posted on their sites? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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