Topic: Backpage

A listener who is a licensed massage therapist in Los Angeles reports on the proliferation of unlicensed massage parlors that openly advertise sex work on sites like "Rub Maps." The report alleges that local law enforcement often ignores these establishments because they are frequented or even owned by police officers. The transition of these services from Backpage to private Signal groups is also noted.

The interview with Paige Lorenze continues with descriptions of "high protocol" BDSM, involving specific arrival times, lingerie requirements, and "knife play." The hosts pivot to a discussion on Section 230, noting it was originally intended to stop platforms like Backpage but is now being used to protect sites like OnlyFans. They express concern over the "slippery slope" of young women entering these environments during lockdowns.

A leaked policy proposal from Senator Mark Warner's office outlines potential regulations for social media firms, including mandatory identity verification and bot labeling. The hosts suggest that tech companies may be preemptively deplatforming controversial figures to avoid these strict government regulations. The prior shutdowns of Backpage and Craigslist personals are cited as precedents for government-pressured platform changes.

A male sex worker named Nate provides an update on the industry following the government crackdown on Backpage and Craigslist. He confirms the "Dvorak Rule" that sex workers get more attractive as the economy worsens. Nate notes that the industry has moved to sites like RentMen.com and argues that the crackdown was more about taxation than stopping trafficking.

The US Senate is poised to pass the SESTA-FOSTA bill, which limits the legal immunity of websites in sex trafficking cases. Critics argue this legislation marks the beginning of a broader crackdown on "unlawful content" and could lead to the banning of protocols like Tor. The bill is seen as a fundamental shift in the regulation of the internet, potentially ending the era of broad platform protections under Section 230.

The House of Representatives passed legislation targeting online sex trafficking, specifically aimed at the website Backpage. This move threatens the liability protections of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Senator Rob Portman argues the internet has made trafficking "ruthlessly efficient," while tech advocates warn that eroding these protections could destroy platforms like YouTube and Yelp. The hosts view this as the beginning of the end for the open internet.

The Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) aims to amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to hold websites liable for sex trafficking. The hosts discuss how Section 230 originally enabled the growth of platforms like Facebook and YouTube by providing immunity for user-generated content. The case of Backpage.com serves as the primary catalyst for this legislative push.

During a Senate hearing, prosecutors from Sacramento explain how Section 230 immunity led a judge to drop pimping and sex trafficking charges against Backpage.com. They argue that without SESTA, law enforcement lacks the tools to prosecute sites that knowingly facilitate human exploitation. The current legal battle is limited to conspiracy and money laundering charges.

Senator Rob Portman grilled the CEO of Backpage over the site's practice of stripping "code words" from advertisements, arguing this constitutes editorializing. This legal battle over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has significant implications for the liability of all internet platforms regarding user-generated content.

The hosts discuss National Donate Life Month, expressing skepticism and fear that being an organ donor makes one a "target" for harvesting in emergency situations. They link the current economic "Armageddon" to social trends, such as the quality of workers on Backpage.com and the rise of "depression food."