Craigslist known as aid and enabler:

This is an article from the Boston Globe that I was interviewed for but that’s not what I want to talk about.

I want to mainly discuss this quote from Peter M. Zollman, a classified industry analyst.

But it is the “erotic” offerings that boost traffic and have helped turn Craigslist into a big moneymaker by bringing more people to the site, Zollman said. Craigslist does not release financial information, but Zollman estimates total revenue for Craiglist was $81 million in 2008. The company employs 25 full-time workers and draws an estimated 9 billion page views a month.

“They are the biggest; there’s no one who does what Craigslist does,” Zollman said, adding that people are drawn to the site’s “sleaze factor.”

“People go to Craigslist for the erotics, for the free personals.”

First, this goes a long way to a theory that was once told to me by a professional escort that the erotic services section of craigslist generates the most traffic which leads to people posting paid ads.

Also, they’re making money hand over fist, on the backs of hookers some would say, and they only have 28 people working for them. I’m sorry but that’s just greed outweighing public safety.

Thanks to Megan Woolhouse of the Globe for the interview.