Damn! - Craigslist Shuts Down 'Adult Services' Section Across the World

In September, Craigslist decided to permanently shut down its 'Adult Services' section in the U.S. after coming under fire from American lawmakers. Now, the controversial section has been removed from the company's international sites, as well.

It's still not clear what prompted the move, but Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Craigslist contacted his office on Tuesday to confirm the decision. Blumenthal, as you may recall, led the charge against the company's X-rated section, which offered sexual services, and not-so-subtle ads for prostitution. Yesterday, Blumenthal applauded Craigslist's decision, and said it marked a major victory against human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women and children. "This move is another important step in the ongoing fight to more effectively screen and stop pernicious prostitution ads," the Attorney General told the AP.

Before these decisions, the company insisted that it cooperated with law enforcement authorities in identifying human traffickers on the site, but critics still took issue with the profit that the illegal business generated for Craigslist. This year, for example, Craigslist was expected to rake in about $36 million in revenue from its 'Adult Services' section -- nearly one-third of the $122 million it was projected to earn overall.