A press release from Craigslist supports the efforts of 40 US states to regulate sex ads:

As part of Craigslist’s agreement with attorneys general around the country, anyone who posts an “erotic services” ad will be required to provide a working phone number and pay a fee with a valid credit card. The Web site will provide that information to law enforcement if subpoenaed.

Craigslist has also agreed to sue 14 software and Internet companies that help people who post erotic service ads to circumvent the Web site’s defenses against inappropriate content and illegal activity.

It is tempting to assume this will generate more demand for credit card and mobile phone fraud. Wonder how they will validate each in time to block an advertisement.

Although I just heard about this announcement in a presentation by the FBI, they failed to mention Craig’s home state of California was not on the list:

States that signed the agreement include Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam also joined

I also do not see Texas or Florida in the list. Coincidence or are the larger state AG excluded for a reason?

Craig points out a couple more details on his blog:

We’ll be working together to fight predators, which includes charging in our “erotic services” category. 100% of profits from this will be contributed to charity. An external accounting firm will be retained to track the details. We will NOT profit from this.

Nice gesture, but what about the rest of the classified. Will they become filled with regulated ads disguised as events and items for sale?