Wednesday, May 13, 2009    Text size: 

"We're very encouraged that Craigslist is doing the right thing in eliminating its online red light district with prostitution and pornography in plain sight,” Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said. “We'll be watching and investigating critically to make sure this measure is more than just a name change."

Two months ago, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart filed a lawsuit calling Craigslist “the largest source of prostitution in America.”

Pressure to remove the erotic listings increased after a Boston medical student was charged with killing a masseuse who he met through Craigslist, authorities said.

Last week, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and attorneys general of Connecticut and Missouri met with Craigslist officials to discuss the fate of the ads they considered were advertisements for illegal sexual activities.

According to a report, existing erotic ads on the site will expire within seven days.