President Trump signed FOSTA into law on April 11, the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017. Seth and JJ discuss the story of Backpage.com, and how it led to FOSTA being passed. Survivors have advocated for and against the law. While it has potential to be a useful tool against traffickers, there are concerns about how it may negative impact sex workers and free speech, due to ambiguous language and focusing on both sex trafficking and prostitution.
Sources:
President Donald J. Trump Signs H.R. 1865 into Law, The White House
Trump Signs Controversial FOSTA Bill Targeting Online Sex Trafficking, HuffPost
Justice Department Leads Effort to Seize Backpage.Com, the Internet’s Leading Forum for Prostitution Ads, and Obtains 93-Count Federal Indictment, Department of Justice
Feds Praise Backpage Takedown as Sex Workers Fear for Their Lives, Gizmodo
Backpage.com's Founders, Employees Indicted on Charges of Facilitating Prostitution, Rolling Stone
If Backpage's Shutdown is a Win for Sex Workers, Why are Sex Workers So Mad About it, The Washington Post
Backpage.com's Knowing Facilitation of Online Sex Trafficking, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, United States Senate
How Backpage Saved My Life, Medium
Backpage Is Bad. Banning It Would Be Worse., The Daily Beast
What Methods, Strategies Will Sex Traffickers Use Following Seizure Of Backpage?, CBS
Backpage.com sex advert website owners face charges, BBC
“Erotic Review” blocks US Internet users to prepare for government crackdown, Ars Technica
Stop Online Sex Trafficking – Call NOW to Support FOSTA-SESTA Act, National Organization for Women New York City
Today! Tell your Senator to vote for FOSTA+SESTA package., World Without Exploitation
Action Alert: Support SESTA/FOSTA, Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation
PSA featuring Seth Meyers, Amy Schumer, Josh Charles, Tony Shalhoub and others - FOSTA-SESTA, Vimeo
The Law Needs to Stop Protecting Sex-Trafficking Websites, Lenny Letter
Woman allegedly trafficked through Backpage.com says new legislation brings 'closure', ABC News
INTERVIEW: Marian Hatcher sets the record straight on the new U.S. anti-trafficking bill, SESTA-FOSTA, Feminist Current
H.R.1865 - Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017, US Congress
47 USC 230: Protection for private blocking and screening of offensive material, US Code
18 U.S. Code § 1591 - Sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud, or coercion, Cornell Law School
§2421. Transportation generally, US Code
FOSTA: The New Anti-Sex-Trafficking Legislation May Not End the Internet, But It’s Not Good Law Either, Lawfare Blog
FOSTA Would Be a Disaster for Online Communities, Electronic Freedom Foundation
About SESTA, #SurvivorsAgainstSESTA
I Asked 3 Women to Talk About Sex Work & Trafficking in the U.S., HuffPost
Missing From #MeToo — Sex Workers, 1A
view more