This could change the hobby as we know it.

nightr's Avatar
I tried searching for it and I couldn't find anywhere so I figured I would post it here. My apologies if it was mentioned already.

The way I read I read it, if passed the "Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017" could effectively stop sites sites like this from existing. I know the target is backpage, but site lile eccie, p411, and other hobby related sites would all become fair game. What worries me is the amount of bipartisan support already behind it.

I do think if passed it would face significant 1st amendment challenges in the courts, but I would prefer it not come to that.


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.was...-backpage-com/
I saw an interview on the news about this too, they were talking about how they had taken on BP specifically but that there was a deeper problem. I'm new so I don't know much about anything and am really wondering what this is going to do.
I would imagine p411 would be safe as it's a Canadian site and therefore not affected by American laws.
I tried searching for it and I couldn't find anywhere so I figured I would post it here. My apologies if it was mentioned already.

The way I read I read it, if passed the "Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017" could effectively stop sites sites like this from existing. I know the target is backpage, but site lile eccie, p411, and other hobby related sites would all become fair game. What worries me is the amount of bipartisan support already behind it./ Originally Posted by nightr
Yet another thing for me to despise Portman for..

I would imagine p411 would be safe as it's a Canadian site and therefore not affected by American laws. Originally Posted by Clark W. Griswold
Maybe, but anyone in the US would more than likely get blocked from using it..
pyramider's Avatar
It would probably have little effect since most SHMBs use servers that are on foreign soil.
ck1942's Avatar
Recall, if you will, a bit of history in considering what is going on.

Backpage once was owned by the Village Voice, one of the pioneers in "free" newspapers offering classified advertisers the opportunity for posting sexually oriented ads.

I recall many LE attempts at harnessing this and other newspapers from publishing such ads. Even arrests in some cities of newspaper classified ad managers. All to naught. Massive LE failures in the ultimate end of court processes.

There should be no doubt that even as the newspaper is protected by the First Amendment acting as publisher, so is the website.

Amending Section 230 of the federal law, Backpage makes little difference; still the host and the "publisher" and likely would survive court trials with First Amendment protection.

"Publisher"refers to the act of carriage as a web site, not as the originator of the individual ads.

Complicating the public political arguments is the fact that BP scours websites searching for additional advertisers and revenues. But those facts won't be true evidence in a court room.

It is not illegal to offer up bandwidth for advertisers or for First Amendment protected discussion or sex ads.

However, the reality is that defending the activities can be very expensive and that looming expense is how politicians and prosecutors pressure and target the website operators.

Very easy for politicians to posture and pose and pressure.

Very difficult to bypass the First Amendment in the courts.
NoHalo4Me's Avatar
New Law Enforcement tactic. Charge board reviewers with felony promotion of prostitution. No new laws need. They just use the ones on the books already.

From the Article: "Something else unique about this case—the controversial felony charge leveled against several of the website users.

“We have charged the people who were putting the content on the website with a felony charge of promoting prostitution,” King County District Attorney Valiant Richey said. “Men go on, and they post reviews, and they share information,” he continued. “It goes beyond just a review and then on to a recommendation: ‘You have to go see this person, she's amazing. Go see her before she leaves.’”

Felony charges for what many view as simply posting reviews on a website has never been attempted before in the United States. For Richey, it is part of his philosophy of focusing on the demand side of the prostitution industry, targeting the users instead of the suppliers."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/inside-figh...ry?id=48308991

Beware my brethren.
nightr's Avatar
That's is what so scary about the way this is written. It's not the sites they are targeting. They are going after it's the owners criminally. So unless you never plan to step foot on US soil I guess your ok.

That is why tech industry is so opposed to this. If passed they could effectively go after Facebook managers/investors for content posted by their users.

Again huge 1st amendment implications if passed as it would really open up a can of worms not just related to the hobby.
pyramider's Avatar
Well Facebook is evil ... good riddance.
That's is what so scary about the way this is written. It's not the sites they are targeting. They are going after it's the owners criminally. So unless you never plan to step foot on US soil I guess your ok.

That is why tech industry is so opposed to this. If passed they could effectively go after Facebook managers/investors for content posted by their users.

Again huge 1st amendment implications if passed as it would really open up a can of worms not just related to the hobby. Originally Posted by nightr
And if they get THIS passed, what next. going after those of us who use sites like this to post reviews?
Gotyour6's Avatar
I was writing websites years ago for hookers for extra money.

I had times when my wife would walk in the house to a skinny blonde girl with hundred dollar bills all over the floor and i am taking pics of her with this old digital camera.

I was told not to do it any more due to they would charge me with promoting prostitution.
They took my servers, computers and software. I never saw it again.

I stopped, I didn't have the money to fight it and I was a scared little fuck back then.
I doubt I would still try and fight it but I would have got my servers and computers back.
gladius82's Avatar
I posted about this in the Dallas Men's lounge yesterday.

There is a State Senator that is trying to get legislation passed so that LE can use your reviews a proof of criminal activity.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/04/29/i...e-prostitutes/

She has been working on this since 2013 and her first bill has passed.

I merely say this to point out that LE is ACTIVELY monitoring ECCIE..
and if they find a way to connect you to a review of a know prostitute your ass is in trouble.
InYoEyez's Avatar
im not ready to lose backpage and erotic monkey... hopefully this shit wont pass...
I was writing websites years ago for hookers for extra money.

I had times when my wife would walk in the house to a skinny blonde girl with hundred dollar bills all over the floor and i am taking pics of her with this old digital camera.

I was told not to do it any more due to they would charge me with promoting prostitution.
They took my servers, computers and software. I never saw it again.

I stopped, I didn't have the money to fight it and I was a scared little fuck back then.
I doubt I would still try and fight it but I would have got my servers and computers back. Originally Posted by Gotyour6
IMO that's exactly what the law wants, people to SCARED to fight back..

I posted about this in the Dallas Men's lounge yesterday.

There is a State Senator that is trying to get legislation passed so that LE can use your reviews a proof of criminal activity.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/04/29/i...e-prostitutes/

She has been working on this since 2013 and her first bill has passed.

I merely say this to point out that LE is ACTIVELY monitoring ECCIE..
and if they find a way to connect you to a review of a know prostitute your ass is in trouble. Originally Posted by gladius82
So us the men and women of society get fucked over, but congress can do all the illegalities they want, and get off..
Certainly seems to me like we are living back in the mid ages where WE are the serfs and they are the nobility again..
IMO that's exactly what the law wants, people to SCARED to fight back..

So us the men and women of society get fucked over, but congress can do all the illegalities they want, and get off..
Certainly seems to me like we are living back in the mid ages where WE are the serfs and they are the nobility again.. Originally Posted by garhkal
Has been that way in this country for a long time - there is a citizen class and a political class. Why do you think they and their staffs are exempted from many of the laws they write and pass for us?

We ARE the surfs...