Craigslist Personals are No More

For years, the personals section of Craigslist was many things to many people. While some found the idea of the suggested encounters seedy, it also offered a safe haven for queer folks who needed a way to anonymously find love or hookups.

Now, as of this week, the personals section will no longer be available to those cruising on the beloved site. According to the New York Times, not only are the sex-related ads banned, even the “strictly platonic” section was removed.

This is allegedly due to the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, which means that law officers can now go after websites that provide opportunities for sexual encounters.

“Any tool or service can be misused,” Craigslist said in their statement. “We can’t take such risk without jeopardizing all our other services, so we are regretfully taking Craigslist personals offline. Hopefully we can bring them back some day. To the millions of spouses, partners, and couples who met through Craigslist, we wish you every happiness!”

There are mixed reactions about this action. Some survivors of sex trafficking and assault are in favor of the legislation, feeling it was necessary to help keep folks safe online.

“It really provides both survivors and folks in law enforcement with the tools to hold websites that are knowingly facilitating trafficking accountable,” said Lauren Hersh, the national director for World Without Exploitation, according to the New York Times. 

However, others have penned op-eds about the toll this loss of resources will take on the queer community.

For the Chicago Tribune, Jon Shadel wrote about how the removal of the Craigslist personals strikes a blow against free speech and removes an important place for LGBTQ people to connect.

“But for the majority of LGBT people who have used Craigslist for decades, the deletion of the personals section amounts to the shuttering of yet another queer space – one that provided a free and accessible cyber haven for many wishing to explore their sexuality and gender” he wrote.

Regardless of personal opinion on the issue, one thing is clear: many queer and closeted folks turned to Craigslist’s personals section to get connected, and this is definitely the end of an era.