The pop classified ads website Backpage was usurp on Friday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation , Gizmodo has confirmed .
It stay undecipherable why the website was seized . ”The Court has ruled that the pillowcase stay seal and we have nothing to report today , ” a Justice Department interpreter said .
Backpage ’s server were seized as part of a joint jurisprudence enforcement operation involve the FBI , the US Postal Service , and the Internal Revenue Service . The legal action was supported by res publica way in Arizona , California , and Texas , the Justice Department said .

FBI officials were see at the Phoenix home of Backpage founder Michael Lacey earlier today .
breakage : Sky 12 is was over the Sedona home of Backpage founding father Michael Lacey . FBI officials in Phoenix confirmed Friday that " law enforcement activity is occurring " at the home plate . FULL STORY : https://t.co / jw13EbBcZmpic.twitter.com / TucZDfCENI
— 12 News ( @12News)April 7 , 2018

The Justice Department was beseech by lawmakers last year to enquire Backpage afterThe Washington Postuncovered documents that show up the website was not only in control of sex activity - pertain ads , but had take a company in the Philippines to attract sex - work advertisers aside from Backpage ’s rivalry .
In 2016 , three Backpage executives , including CEO Carl Ferrer , were arrested on pimping - related charges . The lawsuit was dismissed , however , after a California judge prevail that Ferrer and his colleagues were not responsible for illegal advertising posted on Backpage .
Under segment 203 of the Communications Decency Act , website operator can not be hold nonimmune for illicit acts committed by third - parties while using their services . The intent behind the section was to protect fresh form on-line business from being trounce by lawsuits halt from the criminalness of users over whom the businesses had no control .

Citing Backpage , House and Senate lawmakers introduced bills this year — the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act ( FOSTA ) and Stop enable Sex Traffickers Act ( SESTA ) , severally — think to target web site operators who , to cite SESTA directly , are “ knowingly assist , support , or facilitating ” in sex trafficking online .
SESTA was passed by the Senate last calendar month and FOSTA was turn over by the House in February , but neither bill has become jurisprudence .
SESTA and FOSTA have been wide criticized by experts who say the billhook are probable to led to censorship online and increased fury against sex actor .

Sex worker have become more and more reliant in the retiring tenner on site commit to escorts , as well as online classified Page . work on-line help keep sex proletarian good , counselor-at-law say , by keeping them off the streets and allowing them to freely exchange information about potentially dangerous clients .
Sen. Ron Wyden , one of only two lawmakers to vote against the senate banker’s bill , noted infloor remarkslast calendar month that SESTA was n’t really need for the Justice Department to take natural action against Backpage .
Although the commission behind Friday ’s seizure continue unclear , Wyden nevertheless appears to have been proven right .

Update , 9 phase modulation : extra context added .
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