Personally I am for fully legalizing prostitution, but given that it is currently not legal in most places, it makes sense to not be able to post prostitution ads easily. Perhaps when lawmakers can no longer easily find cheap prostitutes on Craigslist, they will finally make some changes in the law? (Yeah, right)

"...to turn over registered phone numbers to law enforcement officials with a valid search warrant."

Um... if they have a valid search warrant, it doesn't matter if you agree or not...

...the fact that San Francisco refused to pass the proposition that would "de-criminalize" prostitution.

Sorry I couldn't resist.

"Buckmaster saw a similar drop shortly after the implementation of telephone verification, which requires people registering accounts to enter a valid landline or permanent cell phone number"

When I went on craigslist to advertise IT services this year, it would not accept either my Landline or my cellphone for the account registration. The forums on the website are full of others who have the same problem, their answer: borrow someone else's phone. Nevermind the hassle it makes for legitimate users, doesn't this defeat the point of using phone verification?

It seems incompetence is not a barrier to success.

A company that officially proposes 24-hour phone numbers. Is there any legal reason for such a service to exist ?

While Craig’s List is definitely a major resource for escorts to advertise their services, there are a number of other sites out there that provide free adverting to escorts. The only thing that will happen if the government sinks its teeth into Craig’s List is that sexual providers and those that use their services will move increasingly to other sites that provide something similar. As a supporter of prostitution myself, I would point you all towards such sites as http://www.naughtyreviews.com, http://www.cityvibe.com, or http://www.mpreviews.com, just to name some of the better known alternatives out there. These sites allow sexual providers to post ads for free and for “customers” to contact them directly. Prostitution is the oldest profession because there has always been, and there always will be, a demand for it. The internet simply provides too many ways for prostitutes to stay in business and these latest attempts to thwart it will simply cause a movement in traffic from poor Craigslist to the sites I mentioned earlier.

Prostitution is legal in Rhode Island, how will they go after people advertising for a legal activity?

Check out"happy endings" a doc film on Asian massage parlors in RI where prostitution is legal. Check the blog and youtube channel and leave comments. Sign up on the website to get updates on the release.

www.happyendingsdoc.com

http://happyendingsdoc.wordpress.com

http://www.youtube.com/happyendingsdoc

www.myspace.com/happyendingsdoc

What is interesting is the RI Attorney general signed the agrement and prostitution is legal in RI, and other states where prostitution is illegal didn't sign the agreement.

some just get lifted off of 'myspace'.

Bit odd seeing your daughters friends picture and some naughty messages on craigslist