AG: Craigslist to drop 'erotic' listings

NEW YORK, May 13 (UPI) -- The owners of the Craigslist online advertising service have agreed to eliminate ads for prostitution and pornography, U.S. state officials said Wednesday.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, the head of a multi-state Craigslist task force, says executives of the Web site have agreed to drop its "erotic services" section and create a new "adult" section whose postings will be individually checked for illegal prostitution or pornography, The Hartford Courant reported.

"These measures are a solid next step, not a complete solution," Blumenthal said in New York. "We will be monitoring closely to make sure this measure is more than just a name change from 'erotic' to 'adult.'"

The attorneys general made the move in the wake of murder charges against Boston medical student Philip Markoff, whom prosecutors allege killed a masseuse he had initially intended to rob after meeting her through the Craigslist "erotic services" section.

Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster has previously said those who use the Web site for criminal activities are very likely to get caught because they leave "electronic trails," the Courant said.