The federal government has seized Backpage.com, the popular classified advertising website, CBS News’ Paula Reid reported Friday. The site is frequently used for sex trafficking of adults and children. The Justice Department says the site has earned $500 million in revenue from prostitution since it was created.
The government is currently in the process of blocking the website. Parts of it are accessible, while other parts may trigger a notice specifically saying the feds have seized it.
On Friday, some visitors to the site were greeted with a message that said, “backpage.com and affiliated websites have been seized as part of an enforcement action” by the FBI, the Postal Inspection Service and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. Another agency participating in the action is the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
The message went on to say that additional information would be released by the Justice Department at 6 p.m. ET Friday.
Last year, a Senate report alleged Backpage “knowingly concealed evidence” of child sex trafficking through its editing “by deleting words, phrases, and images indicative of criminality”. Senate investigators said words like “young,” “little girl” and “innocent” were removed while “the remainder of the ad would be published.”
Backpage executives called to testify before Congress took the fifth. The company accused senators of conducting a “witch hunt” against the site and said it cooperates with police departments to locate victims.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
