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An image of the current homepage of the website backpage.com shows logos of U.S. law enforcement agencies after they seized the sex marketplace site April 6, 2018.
MIXED VERDICT

Backpage Founder Michael Lacey Convicted of Money Laundering

But an Arizona jury remained deadlocked on scores of other counts.

Dan Ladden-Hall

Backpage founder Jim Larkin
‘BLAZED HIS OWN PATH’

Backpage Founder Dies By Suicide Days Before Trial

Jim Larkin was scheduled to stand trial for charges of money laundering and facilitating prostitution next week.

Emily Shugerman

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NO ‘INTENTIONAL MISCONDUCT’

Backpage Kingpins Get Mistrial Over Trafficking Testimony

Prosecutors made too many references to child sex trafficking in a case where no one stood accused of that charge, U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich ruled.

AJ McDougall

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exclusive
‘IT’S NOT FUN AND GAMES’

Real-Life ‘Zola’ Sex-Trafficking Victims Speak Out

Jessica Forgie was 19 when she says she got mixed up in the viral Twitter tale that’s now become the movie “Zola”—duped into sex trafficking and assaulted by a violent pimp.

Cheyenne Roundtree

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DARK CLOUD

50 Women Accuse Tech Giant of ‘Facilitating’ Their Sex Abuse

‘Jane Does’ accuse the customer relations management giant of helping the notorious website Backpage build sex trafficking brand and manage database of pimps and johns.

Barbie Latza Nadeau

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opinion
FREE LOVE

The Bogus War on Internet Sex Work

No one is arguing that companies have a right to knowingly profit off of sexual exploitation, but we already have a host of remedies for punishing those activities.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown

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Exploitation

Silicon Valley Fights Senate Over Sex Trafficking Bill

Internet companies are calling on the Senate to reject a new bill, claiming its approach to combating online sex trafficking is counterproductive—and could chill free speech.

Lizzie Crocker

CONTROVERSY

Backpage Is Bad. Banning It Is Worse.

The world’s premier online sexual marketplace has come under fire from the government for hosting child sex traffickers, raising important questions about constitutional rights.

Amy Zimmerman

articles/2012/04/10/former-sex-worker-melissa-petro-defends-adult-ad-site-backpage-com/pro-sex-workers-petro-tease_bxhmzy
Classified

Leave the Village Voice Alone!

Shutting down the adult classifieds site could force some users into poverty or onto the street, says former sex worker Melissa Petro.

Melissa Petro

articles/2012/03/30/sex-slavery-facilitators-backpage-s-sleazy-adult-ads/sex-slavery-facilitators-powers_rq5lss
PERSONAL ADS

Village Voice’s Sex-Slavery Shame

Pressure builds on Village Voice Media to give up its “adult ads.” Kirsten Powers reports.

Kirsten Powers

Sex Slave Outrage

A startling new ad campaign aims to humiliate websites that quietly allow pimps to sell young girls for sex online. Michelle Goldberg on the backlash against Village Voice Media.

Michelle Goldberg

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