The Rise and Fall of Backpage: A Battle Over Sex Work, Power, and Control
In the early 2000s, two men from the newspaper business saw the writing on the wall—print media was dying. Rather than going down with the ship, they pivoted to the digital world, creating an online classifieds platform: Backpage. What started as a simple alternative to Craigslist grew into one of the most controversial websites of its time, particularly for its "erotic services" section.
Seven years ago, their business—and their lives—came crashing down when the U.S. government, led in part by Kamala Harris, accused them of facilitating child sex trafficking. Despite working closely with law enforcement and anti-trafficking groups, the founders were arrested, and one of them took his own life before trial. The charges against them were ultimately dropped, but the damage was done.
This is the story of how a government crackdown, Hollywood hypocrisy, and a behind-the-scenes power struggle took down Backpage—and what happened next.
The Founding of Backpage
Backpage was created by two former newspaper publishers who noticed the decline of print media. Around 2004, Craigslist had already disrupted classified ads, so they decided to launch their own version. The site gained popularity, with its adult services section becoming a major revenue driver. While Craigslist had removed its erotic services section after government pressure, Backpage kept its doors open.
The Government Cracks down on Backpage
As Backpage grew, so did scrutiny from law enforcement and politicians. The site's erotic services section became a lightning rod for controversy, with critics claiming it enabled sex trafficking. The government launched an aggressive campaign against the platform, led in part by then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris. She accused the site of facilitating child sex trafficking and pushed for its shutdown.
At the same time, Hollywood jumped into the fight. Celebrities like Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore appeared on television, passionately condemning the site. They painted Backpage as a hub for child exploitation, despite no clear evidence proving the owners were complicit in trafficking.
Cooperation with Law Enforcement and Arrests
Ironically, the founders of Backpage were not criminals in the way they were portrayed. They worked closely with law enforcement, reporting any suspicious activity and even providing authorities with data to track down traffickers. They also collaborated with anti-trafficking nonprofits, contrary to claims that they were enabling abuse.
Despite this cooperation, the government shut down the website and arrested the founders. The authorities seized their assets and charged them with a range of crimes, from money laundering to conspiracy.
The Trial and a Tragic Turn
As the case moved toward trial, tragedy struck—one of the co-founders took his own life. With this devastating loss, the government’s case fell apart. Prosecutors quietly dropped most of the charges, proving that the original claims of trafficking were unfounded.
However, the damage had been done. The founders had been painted as monsters, their careers and reputations destroyed. They had won the legal battle but lost almost everything else.
Theories Behind the Government’s Actions
Why was Backpage so aggressively targeted? Some believe it was a matter of power and control. The founders were outsiders, not part of the billionaire elite that typically dominates Silicon Valley. Unlike other tech moguls, they had no powerful allies to shield them.
Another theory suggests that their collaboration with sex workers was the real issue. By allowing sex workers to operate in a safer, digital space—one that actively worked with law enforcement—Backpage disrupted the traditional underground networks that benefited organized crime and corrupt officials. If the cartels and government wanted trafficking to continue unchecked, shutting down Backpage would have been an effective move.
The Media and Documentary Coverage
The battle over Backpage didn’t end with its shutdown. Competing narratives emerged in the form of documentaries. One documentary by the website’s creators tells their side of the story, portraying them as victims of government overreach. Meanwhile, the anti-sex work organization RIA released its own documentary, labeling the founders as traffickers. The media largely sided against Backpage, but over time, cracks in the official narrative began to show.
The Hypocrisy of Hollywood and Politics
Perhaps the most baffling part of this story is how Hollywood and politicians shifted their stance on sex work after Backpage was destroyed. In recent years, there has been a growing movement to decriminalize sex work. Suddenly, mainstream figures who once condemned Backpage were now advocating for sex workers’ rights. Even Kamala Harris, who had led the charge against Backpage, publicly mourned the victims of a shooting at an Asian massage parlor—an industry she once vilified.
This reversal suggests something deeper: a power struggle between old-money elites and new tech disruptors. The destruction of Backpage paved the way for other platforms, ones more aligned with corporate interests, to take its place. In other words, the establishment took down a challenger and replaced it with a more controlled version of the same thing.
The Aftermath and Consequences
The closure of Backpage had serious consequences. Human trafficking actually increased after the site was taken down. Without a centralized platform to monitor suspicious activity, law enforcement lost a valuable tool.
Meanwhile, new platforms emerged to fill the void left by Backpage, proving that shutting down one website does not eliminate demand—it only shifts where it happens.
Section 230 and the Legal Framework
A key legal issue, in this case, was Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a law passed in the 1990s under President Bill Clinton. This law protects online platforms from being held liable for user-generated content.
By going after Backpage, the government challenged this precedent, setting a dangerous new standard. If platforms could be held responsible for their users’ actions, the internet as we know it would fundamentally change.
Conclusion
The story of Backpage is about more than just one website—it’s a case study in power, corruption, and hypocrisy. The government framed the site’s founders as criminals, only to quietly drop the charges when their case fell apart. Hollywood and politicians condemned Backpage, then later embraced sex work when it suited their interests. The crackdown on Backpage didn’t stop trafficking—it made it worse. Ultimately, the fall of Backpage reveals an ongoing battle between new and old power structures, between those who want control and those who challenge it. In the end, Backpage lost. But the questions it raised—about freedom, law enforcement, and who gets to decide what’s allowed on the internet—are far from settled.
Sources:
How the Feds destroyed Backpage.com and its founders
Backpage.com CEO Facing Sex Trafficking Charges
The Collapsing Federal Prostitution Case Against Backpage.com