Craigslist Sues S.C. Attorney General; He Claims Victory Over Adult Ads

SAN FRANCISCO — In the latest shot in the battle over adult-oriented ads, Craigslist said it has filed suit against South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster.

Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster said in a blog post Wednesday that the company filed its suit in federal court in South Carolina and is seeking “declaratory relief and a restraining order with respect to criminal charges he has repeatedly threatened against Craigslist and its executives.”

McMaster last week presented Craigslist with a Friday-at-5.p.m ultimatum to remove portions of its site dedicated to South Carolina that “contains categories for and functions allowing for the solicitation of prostitution and the dissemination and posting of graphic pornographic material.”

The attorney general threatened criminal investigation and ultimately prosecution of its executive management if they wouldn’t comply.

At 5 p.m. on Friday, however, McMaster said that Craigslist failed to comply and said, “We have no alternative but to move forward with criminal investigation and potential prosecution.”

But on Wednesday, Buckmaster lashed out at the attorney general and said his actions are “unwarranted by the facts,” and “represent an unconstitutional prior restraint on free speech, and are clearly barred by federal law.”

McMaster on his blog Wednesday called Craigslist's legal action “good news” because “it shows that Craigslist is taking the matter seriously for the first time.”

“More importantly, overnight they have removed the erotic services section from their website, as we asked them to do,” he said. “And they are now taking responsibility for the content of their future advertisements.

“Unfortunately, we had to inform them of possible state criminal violations concerning their past practices to produce a serious response. We trust they will now adhere to the higher standards they have promised.”

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

TeamSkeet, MYLF to Launch New Website FamilyStrokes.com

Sister studios TeamSkeet and MYLF are launching a new website, FamilyStrokes.com.

AV Bulletin: Age Verification Hits the Mainstream, Ofcom Sets a Date

Industry stakeholders and free speech advocates have anxiously been awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which could significantly impact state age verification laws around the country. In the meantime, state legislatures continue to weigh and pass AV bills, AV tech providers continue to tout their services, and legal challenges continue to play out in the courts — with some cases on hold pending the SCOTUS ruling in Paxton.

Segpay Names Kristi Greer VP of Sales

Segpay has promoted long-time employee Kristi Greer to the position of vice president of sales.

BranditScan Names Subgirl Newest Brand Ambassador

BranditScan has named content creator Subgirl its newest brand ambassador.

Arcom Reports Age Verification Enforcement Actions Against 5 Adult Sites

French media regulator Arcom released a statement Tuesday detailing recent actions to enforce age verification rules as set forth under France’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

Pineapple Support, Clips4Sale to Host Performers' Partners Support Group

Pineapple Support and Clips4Sale are hosting a free online support group for partners and family members of adult industry professionals.

FSC Mourns the Loss of Board Director Emeritus Mark Kernes

Free Speech Coalition has released a statement regarding the passing of Board Director Emeritus Mark Kernes.

Alexa Creed Launches New Paysite

Creator Alexa Creed has launched a new membership site through MyMember.site.

Choice Talent Management Launches Fan Platform 'ChoiceFilmz'

Choice Talent Management CEO Chris Crisco has launched a new fan platform called ChoiceFilmz.

Dredd to Launch Official Site

Dredd has announced his new website OfficialDreddXXX.com, launching April 20.

Show More