Craigslist: Casual Encounter Goes to Celluloid

SAN FRANCISCO – From the “Men Seeking 230 lb. Wives” to the “Women Seeking Gay Uncles,” Craigslist.org is the miracle website.

Later this year you’ll be able to see its story in a documentary in at a theater near you.

In “24 Hours on Craigslist,” San Francisco director Michael Ferris Gibson tells the story of the site that instantaneously satisfies curious needs and the man behind the name.

At the recent South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, Gibson showed a rough cut of the documentary, which charts the site's far-reaching and offbeat effects on some people in San Francisco, where the site originated.

When asked if there is a real person named Craig behind the site, fans queried in the film seem to regard the question as akin to asking about the existence of God.

The movie centers around founder Craig Newmark and the site’s beginnings in 1995. It was born as a free, down-to-earth and uncensored bulletin board that revolutionized the ease and speed with which people could communicate, exchange goods and services and create community.

The site primarily focused on housing, jobs, items for sale and personal ads.. To date, Craigslist is wired up to more than two dozen U.S. cities.

Gibson told XBiz that he actually got his entire film crew from the site, and that each one of them will share in any gross profits from the movie.

The film is scheduled to be released by fall.

Copyright © 2026 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

Italian Court in Aylo Case Limits International Reach of AV Rules

An Italian administrative court has ruled that Italy’s recently-enacted age verification rules for adult content may not currently be enforced against sites based in other EU member states, pending further procedural action under the EU’s Directive on Electronic Commerce.

OCC, FDIC Prohibit Use of 'Reputation Risk' by Regulators

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) on Tuesday issued a final rule codifying the elimination of ‘reputation risk’ from their supervision of financial institutions.

Wisconsin Governor Vetoes Age Verification Bill

Gov. Tony Evers on Friday vetoed AB 105, an age verification bill that would have allowed anyone to sue adult content providers for damages over alleged failure to age-verify users in Wisconsin, with penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

FSC Releases Statement on Wisconsin Governor Vetoing AV Bill

The Free Speech Coalition has released a statement on Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' veto of the state's age verification legislation.

AV Bulletin: West Virginia Enacts AV Law, Ohio 'Innocence Act' Advances

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Woodhull Survey Reveals Concern Among Sex Educators Over AV Laws' Impact on Access

A national survey of sex educators by the Woodhull Freedom Foundation found that a majority of sex educators and sexual health professionals are concerned that age verification (AV) laws will negatively impact access to information and resources.

Clips4Sale Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of content platform Clips4Sale in a case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the site.

Pineapple Support, SextPanther to Host Stress Management Support Group

Pineapple Support and SextPanther are hosting a free online support group focused on stress management for performers.

Goddess Tangent Launches New Site Through Grooby's Blue.xxx

Goddess Tangent has launched her new membership site, TangentOD.com, through Grooby's website management company Blue.xxx.

Show More