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Conn. AG Wants Craigslist To Confirm Adult Services Ban

HARTFORD, Conn. (WCBS 880/AP) -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says he wants official confirmation that Craigslist has gotten rid of its adult services section for good.

Blumenthal said Tuesday he talked with the website's attorneys on Monday, but Craigslist has yet to reveal its long-term plans.

"[It is] legally important that it will take steps to screen, filter and flag any prostitution ads that go elsewhere on the site, such as the casual encounters section," Blumenthal told WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau.

Craigslist replaced the link to the section Saturday with a black bar that says "censored." Blumenthal said he believes potentially illegal ads may be filtering to other sections on the website.

"Craigslist must acknowledge it has a moral responsibility and perhaps even can be legally accountable for enabling prostitution and other serious criminal activity that results from it," Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal said he will be releasing a letter to Craigslist officials asking if they have permanently closed the category.

Phone and email messages to a Craigslist spokeswoman were not immediately returned Tuesday.

Seventeen state attorneys general demanded Craigslist remove its adult services last month over concerns that the website could not adequately screen out illegal ads promoting prostitution and child trafficking.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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