Has anyone else seen this?
http://abcnews.go.com/US/inside-figh...ry?id=48308991
Originally Posted by classymonica
Hadn't seen it, but nothing in the article changes my opinion:
1) Maintaining a hobby website as owner, administrator, or moderator, is probably chargeable as promoting prostitution in most states (one has to look at the promoting statute in each individual state to come to a conclusion about liability in each state),
2) to the extent hobby websites facilitate ladies doing business across state lines, the owners, administrators, and moderators of a hobby website can probably be charged with violations of the Mann Act (18 U.S.C. §§ 2421-2424), which
inter alia prohibits knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any individual to travel in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, to engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense--or for that matter, merely attempting to do so. (Which basically means, guys, that when you PM a girl from out of state and persuade her to visit here you're basically exposing yourself to prosecution for a federal felony. Ditto for any ladies who might PM guys out of state directly and try to persuade them to come visit them in Arkansas sometime), and
3) (IMHO) once the authorities get around to shutting down Backpage, they'll be coming for ECCIE. I don't think us mere peons are at much risk, but I personally wouldn't accept an invitation to be an admin or moderator around here...
Enjoy the party while it's still around. Its days are numbered (the end may not happen for several years, but eventually it will).
Cheers,
bcg