Vote to shutdown Backpage

Change.com is the petition site that get's people and companies to change their positions to serve justice...
Well, some girl was pimped out on backpage a few years ago and now she wants changedotcom to help her shut down the backpage sex ads.

...and it might happen.

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell...e=action_alert


Comments?

A horrible idea IMHO! I find pimping, sexual slavery, and compelled prostitution utterly disgusting and reprehensible. And while I fully support outing and stopping human trafficking and the traffickers who make it possible, I've always seen closing one medium for the Hobby as leaving a more densely-clustered pack of remaining targets. Also, these traffickers and pimps are like cockroaches. If you shine the light on the corner where they dwell, they'll just move to another one!

In other words, if ECCIE were the only hobby site (we're not, but just go with it) where people posted ads for services and what not, then where do you think these traffickers would try to solicit their (and I hate to use this term) "product?" Also, where do you think the firestorm of attention would be focused? Backpage closing will just mean that more will find this site (both legitimate hobbyists and bad guys alike!) and draw more attention and problems to ECCIE.

IMHO, having more avenues out there makes it less likely for undesirables, such as pimps and traffickers, to roost here (I'm sure a lot do, but you can't help that) since there is a strong sentiment against "managed" girls by myself, and most hobbyists on this board. It seems like 90% of the ads on Backpage come up with alerts about fake pictures and/or managed girls both of which are a huge "No" in my book.

I would prefer for backpage to continue undisturbed 1. For there to be other sites to draw the fire, and 2. For as little attention as possible to be drawn to the Hobby world! I mean, we all know this site is purely fantasy (the front page even says so!) but those less-informed could get the wrong idea.

I'm not voting to shut down backpage.....
I actually deleted the email so I wouldn't accidentally vote for it.
I just wanted to pass the word on.

Even if they succeed it won't change anything. When craiglist shut down it's sex part backpage blossomed and then facebook, moco space etc.. So if backpage shuts down there will be 5 more to replace it. Sex has been sold for as long as anyone can remember, the only thing that changes is the medium for sale. I remember before the online stuff like backpage and craiglist there was newspapers and before that brothels and street walkers. It's like anything else, if there's a market someone will always find a way to sell it.

i vote no because if you know business side of backpage . Backpage is only area they might have for there hobby life in the untied state or other countrys

Thanks for the link BB. How stupid...as if that's going to really help! What they need to do is pass more severe penalties for human trafficking and enforce them!

I agree with many of the posts above about what should be done to help carterize human trafficking, but there is something each of can do if we are willing...

If you suspect it, call it in. You could be wrong and what will the effect be?

But imagine the effect if you are right. You could have the most positive effect that person may ever know. In the end you could save a life.

There are some in our community that have the opportunity to notice something not right, by either having been in a similar situation(s) or having had met someone who was in and got out.

I myself have wondered about a thing or two I noticed in the past and didn't make a call. I was thinking about it last night, could I have made a difference in that person's life and why wasn't I brave enough to simply make a call or bring it to someone's attention.

Next time, I plan on doing something positive rather than nothing, which is negative.

We are adults, if we see something that is obviously wrong and harmful to another person(s) or four legged friends, we should act and be an advocate for that person or creature.

Stepping off of soapbox.

Dogg

While I don't disagree with you Dogg the effect of calling/reporting something that isn't human trafficking is an innocent provider being arrested.

The Pimps will just find another way to traffic these kids and girls.. It will not stop I was watching msnbc and they were showing about cantinas in houston were sex trafficking underage kids and women and showed the stings and stuff. I saw this last week.. let me see if i can find the link.

I know the show you're referring to Miranda. It actually initially ran several years ago. MSNBC tends to show their prison shows, and sex-trafficking shows from Friday evening til' Saturday morning when the workers go home, so they re-run them a lot!

Oh ok I have seen A couple of these shows its really sad..

I'm not saying we shouldn't be proactive...but, signing my *name* on a website like that isn't exactly an effective way to make changes.

I will not be signing that. I do not use BP much anymore but shutting it down us not how you stop human trafficking.

I agree with you Nikki. I think these petitions are mostly feel-good measures to let people think they're making a difference by throwing their support behind the cause de jour. (Reference Kony 2012) I'm not cyncial, just a realist, and I doubt much will change with Backpage. It worked with Craigslist, but I think the largest difference was that Craigslist makes money....and a lot of it!

Having the Adult/Erotic section was starting to cost them money from advertisers and people refusing to place paid postings such as jobs, and other services for which they charge. Backpage doesn't make any money outside of the sexual ads. I mean, have you ever looked around the site? Outside of the adult section, it's a ghost town. I seriously doubt 300,000 random people (and there's no guarantee the names aren't fabricated/cushioned) signing a random online petition will affect much change. Websites cost money, and they won't want to give away their primary (if not only) bread-winner unless they're forced to do so by governmental authorities.

I'm sure all of you have heard the 100,000 to 300,000 numbers given for the number of traficking victims in the USA. Here's an interesting write-up in a blog I've been reading that explains the origins of these numbers:
http://maggiemcneill.wordpress.com/2...n-the-telling/