Controversy Erupts Over Craigslist Prank (online sex scandal)

[Irreverend IX]

An anonymous reader writes to mention something of an ongoing controversy over a recent Craigslist prank. Waxy.org has the full details:

"On Monday, a Seattle web developer named Jason Fortuny started his own Craigslist experiment. The goal: 'Posing as a submissive woman looking for an aggressive dom, how many responses can we get in 24 hours?' He took the text and photo from a sexually explicit ad in another area, reposted it to Craigslist Seattle, and waited for the responses to roll in ... '178 responses, with 145 photos of men in various states of undress. Responses include full e-mail addresses (both personal and business addresses), names, and in some cases IM screen names and telephone numbers.' In a staggering move, he then published every single response, unedited and uncensored, with all photos and personal information to Encyclopedia Dramatica."

The Wired blog 27B Stroke 6 has analysis of the prank, which author Ryan Singel views as 'sociopathic'. He then follows that up with responses to comments from his analysis, with further exploration of the weighty issues this juvenile prank has brought up.

(to read the waxy.org story, go to http://www.waxy.org/archive/2006/09/08/sex_bait.shtml)

[ovidsen]

1. Thats really sick

I don't think I'll even click on the link you posted. This falls in the "more information than I ever EVER wanted to know" category.

[pitohui]

5. yeah i for one am not clicking on any "s/m prank" link

but assuming this really happened, i hope karma catches this guy and posts all of his sexual fantasies and vulnerabilities on the fabulous internets

and right after that, i hope he is hunted down and has the crap beaten out of him by about 60 very large persons into domination w. all the right equipment

[pinniped]

14. The "Machine" from 8mm comes to mind.

He wouldn't want to mess with Machine.

[Massacure]

2. Talk about brass balls

:rofl:

[Murky Waters]

3. Yikes!

Man, that is one cruel bastard. It starts out kind of funny. I admit, I was laughing.

But then I got to feeling sorry for some of these idiots, especially that last "Monty Burns" dude. What a nightmare!

[LoZoccolo]

4. Some of the responses are sick, but the prankster is quite sick himself.

Sociopathic is right.

[praeclarus]

6. here is the rationale...

... used by the prankster and his defenders.

The people who replied are stupid and, therefore,
we should be outing them. Their is no guarantee of
privacy on the internet and, therefore, we should
be outing them. These guys were posting from work,
so we should be outing them. One guy said something
along the lines of "superior intellects praying on
the weaker" and that this was normal and good.
Basically they view themselves as judge, jury,
and executioner.

I think prankster and his supporters are a bunch
of low-life losers.

Now to the responders and this is not about
their judgement vis-a-vis posting private info
on the net, but on the nature of their responses.

Some of those were pretty out there but they
were responding to what they thought was an ad
asking for exactly the kind of shit they described.
I'm not into S&M or rough trade or whatever
it is called but if it is between consenting
adults, who are we to judge? Eh?

[Trajan]

7. Its is about lying ......

A lie is a fucking lie .....

Piece of shit might get what he asked for .....

[praeclarus]

8. you mean the prankster?

[Trajan]

9. Who else was lying ?

Who else would I be taking about ? ....

[praeclarus]

10. some of the repliers were married and cheating...

I'm with you on this. A dose of karma would
do the kid wonders. Oh wait, he's 30.

[Up2Late]

11. I guess I'm in the minority here, but I see nothing wrong with this test..

...to see how many creeps and sexual predators are now polluting Craig's List. Craig's list has gotten so polluted with creeps and con-men, I've stopped going there.

There are thousands of Porn sites these sick bastards could slither about at, I wish they would.

[praeclarus]

12. a surveillance society huh?

I said above that I am not into that kink but
what they were responding to was an ad that
they thought was real.

How does that make them predators?

[Warren Stupidity]

15. "creeps and sexual predators "

how judgemental of you. This was about consensual sex between adults. "these sick bastards", i.e. adults seeking sexual companionship, are the major customers of craigslist.

[NashVegas]

19. It's Hard to Prey On Someone

Who literally invites such a response.

[nodehopper]

21. so S/M between consenting adults is creepy / predatory?

Good to know.

[truthisfreedom]

13. sorry, people, but this is not news. the election, remember?

focus, people.

[LostinVA]

16. Of course this is news

And, we can be interested in things in addition to the election. We are focused. I'm an intelligent adult: I can be interested in the election, this, gay rights, Steve Irwin's death, energy policies, Storm Large on Ellen yesterday, Women's rights, the new "Survivor" starting Thursday, my family and friends, training for an upcoming trail race, the 9/11 Propaganda Fest, etc. Staying "focused" one only one thing doesn't make me focused, it makes me obsessed.

It drives me bonkers when people say this....

[Bunny]

17. Election? What election?

There's an election coming up? :shrug:

[NashVegas]

18. Being An Asshole Is Not Against the Law

That said, I scanned through some of the responses. Between this and my own CL experiment this year, I'm confident in saying there are guys who will reply to just about any ad you would place, regardless of whether or not they fit what you state you're looking for. And there are a number of those in the reponse to the ad from this story.

[No Exit]

20. ... and as long as we have the congress we have,

I am confident it never will be!:)

[maddezmom]

22. locking

article linked is dated August 8.