The Communications Decency Act is similarly clear: "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider."

But even after repeated judicial rebuffs on these grounds the federal government continues to attempt to "get" Backpage.com for allegedly "facilitating" sex work by accepting advertisements  — usually, and usually falsely, described by rabid demagogues like US Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) as "human trafficking."

On April 6, several federal agencies stole (the word they used was "seized") the site's domain names and raided its co-founder's home, arresting him pursuant to a 93-count indictment from a grand jury.