6 ms·

Craigslist routinely takes down discriminatory housing and job ads and have been doing that at least since I started using it around 2005.

mc32 9y ago
On the other hand they tend to allow "illegal" prostitution ads... so it's not like they pursue illegal postings in general -or postings which allow the violation of the law. And I generally agree. The authorities should be going after the perpetrators, not the neutral platform.
- mulmen 9y ago
  Is the platform neutral if this is illegal discrimination and they include the ability to do that illegal discrimination in their value proposition?
  - mc32 9y ago
    Both (Craigslist prostitution ads and age specific jobs ads on Facebook) are publishing something which is illegal. The party which should be pursued is the one posting the post which goes contrary to law. I'm ok if FB or CL proactively root out those posts, but I'm not so sure I see it as their responsibility to do. It's good oversight but still I feel the people who should be punished are the agents of the wrongdoing. So, no, I don't see them as an accessory to the crime. That said, the companies/individuals doing the actual discrimination and or illegal solicitation should face the consequences of their actions. In this case, I'm not condoning companies discriminating on the basis of age.
    - mulmen 9y ago
      Facebook has a setting where you can enter the age of a person for a job posting and they even have a special site for job ads. It's not comparable. Craigslist does not market a platform that explicitly says "target prostitution ads at people who are looking for prostitutes". What Facebook is doing is far more explicit and they are clearly aware of what is happening because they built functionality to do it specifically.
      - mc32 9y ago
        Craigslist has a setting where you can explicitly say you're seeking a man/men, woman/women both, other etc. Not calling out Craigslist --simply illustrating that regular tools meant to be used responsibly can be abused to accomplish nefarious ends.
        mulmen 9y ago
        Yes but in that example what Craigslist is doing is still legal. It is totally fine to be a person seeking a person including all specific permutations of gender. It's not ok to discriminate based on age for jobs. Facebook has a page for the specific purpose of advertising jobs to people on the basis of their age.
        mc32 9y ago
        If what you're saying is that they have a purpose built tool to target jobs ads specifically to discreet ages, then it could be problematic --if it's not a dual-use tool.
- beatpanda 9y ago
  No, they don't "tend to allow it". Craigslist takes down explicitly illegal content. Yes, prostitutes offer "massages" on Craigslist and get away with it, but winking and nodding isn't illegal.

mc32 9y ago

On the other hand they tend to allow "illegal" prostitution ads... so it's not like they pursue illegal postings in general -or postings which allow the violation of the law. And I generally agree. The authorities should be going after the perpetrators, not the neutral platform.

mulmen 9y ago
Is the platform neutral if this is illegal discrimination and they include the ability to do that illegal discrimination in their value proposition?
- mc32 9y ago
  Both (Craigslist prostitution ads and age specific jobs ads on Facebook) are publishing something which is illegal. The party which should be pursued is the one posting the post which goes contrary to law. I'm ok if FB or CL proactively root out those posts, but I'm not so sure I see it as their responsibility to do. It's good oversight but still I feel the people who should be punished are the agents of the wrongdoing. So, no, I don't see them as an accessory to the crime. That said, the companies/individuals doing the actual discrimination and or illegal solicitation should face the consequences of their actions. In this case, I'm not condoning companies discriminating on the basis of age.
  - mulmen 9y ago
    Facebook has a setting where you can enter the age of a person for a job posting and they even have a special site for job ads. It's not comparable. Craigslist does not market a platform that explicitly says "target prostitution ads at people who are looking for prostitutes". What Facebook is doing is far more explicit and they are clearly aware of what is happening because they built functionality to do it specifically.
    - mc32 9y ago
      Craigslist has a setting where you can explicitly say you're seeking a man/men, woman/women both, other etc. Not calling out Craigslist --simply illustrating that regular tools meant to be used responsibly can be abused to accomplish nefarious ends.
      - mulmen 9y ago
        Yes but in that example what Craigslist is doing is still legal. It is totally fine to be a person seeking a person including all specific permutations of gender. It's not ok to discriminate based on age for jobs. Facebook has a page for the specific purpose of advertising jobs to people on the basis of their age.
        mc32 9y ago
        If what you're saying is that they have a purpose built tool to target jobs ads specifically to discreet ages, then it could be problematic --if it's not a dual-use tool.
beatpanda 9y ago
No, they don't "tend to allow it". Craigslist takes down explicitly illegal content. Yes, prostitutes offer "massages" on Craigslist and get away with it, but winking and nodding isn't illegal.