Internet Censorship Bills Wouldn’t Help Catch Sex Traffickers

[Electronic Frontier Foundation]

In the most illuminating part of last week’s House subcommittee hearing on the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA, H.R. 1865), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agent Russ Winkler explained how he uses online platforms—particularly Backpage—to fight online sex trafficking. Winkler painted a fascinating picture of agents on his team posing as johns, gaining trust with traffickers, and apprehending them. His testimony demonstrated how, with proper training and resources, law enforcement officers can navigate the online platforms where sex work takes place to find and stop traffickers, especially those trafficking children.

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But it sure looks good on your political resume if you did give this support and voted for it regardless of what the actual end results are!!

Hey! There is a sheep going off a cliff!! We should join it too!! Come on sheeple!! Let’s go!!

Somewhere, Rep Smith has to be smiling from ear to ear!