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

Roxie Rae Relaunches Site Through XSiteAbility

Roxie Rae has relaunched her site through XSiteAbility.

Federal Appeals Court Vacates FTC 'Click to Cancel' Rule Pending Review

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Tuesday vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions, pending further review.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

Ukrainian President Responds to Porn Legalization Petition

President Volodymyr Zelensky responded Tuesday to an OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine, stating that he would wait for the legislative process to play out “in accordance with established procedure.”

Only Tax Deductions Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Adult industry accounting firm Only Tax Deductions has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Adult Empire Launches 'Conversations' Podcast Series

Adult Empire has launched a new official podcast series hosted by Nicole Chappelle and Charlie.

Sex Work CEO Launches 'Teams Plan' for AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Teams Plan for its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Show More