Business Backpage shutters U.S. escort ads after Senate report

[CincyDem]

4. Good point about it being a company decision but...

...I'm not sure that changes how I think about it vis-a-vis 1st amendment. Almost worse in a way because, for whatever reason, after years of fighting this in the courts (and winning), they end up getting hit with an extra-judicial finding from a Senate panel and decide to shut their doors immediately on this topic. Especially concerning given what we know about the Senate's focus on fact based decision making. And made worse because it's not obvious there's an appeal process.

Slippery slope indeed it is. (said in my best Yoda imitation). They couldn't shut it down through the courts because the law is not on their side. They probably couldn't shut it down through legislation because it would likely be overturned. So they shut it down through a backroom staff report (using powers that are about to be expanded in the new congress) and intimidation to create a "voluntary" shut down. To walk away on the same day, after all that fighting...they must have gotten some serious pressure and threats.

In some ways, it's a brilliant strategy. Pick a topic that is susceptible and create the path - then start running the path with topics that might be more supported. Cookie cutter site by site. Backpage promotes "human trafficking" (even though the data presented in a variety of court cases - seemingly the last place where some level of data still matters). The next one promotes "seditious ideas" (by suggesting Trump/Russia ties) or "insurrection" (by suggesting attendance at a peaceful protest). Pretty soon it's going to be OK to go after SportsIllustrated.com for suggesting that Clemson won last night (when everybody in the Sessions' Justice Department KNOWS Alabama won and it's just librul media spinning falsehoods about some last second touchdown by a second rate wannabe Clemson).

I don't know who's next but you can be damn sure it won't be Drudge, InfoWars or Breitbart.

So, IMHO, we should be screaming from the rooftops about this to defend Backpage because there are a lot of folks. What's that phrase about the 1st Amendment - something about how it's easy to support free speech when you agree with it but where it really counts is when the speech advocates something you disagree with. I don't have that exactly right (and I have the feeling it's actually from Michael Douglas in "The American President" but whatever).