The front page is the first pages of a newspaper which include all publication information and a large headline story that will capture the reader’s attention. This story may be of national significance or may be a local issue.
The website Backpage became the subject of a federal criminal investigation by the FBI, the Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigator Division with analytical assistance from the Joint Regional Intelligence Center due to allegations that it knowingly allowed users to post ads that facilitated prostitution and human trafficking, particularly involving minors. Backpage also allegedly made changes to ads to obscure illegal activities.
In 2014 three anonymous Jane Does who were sex trafficked as minors sued Backpage for facilitating their exploitation, alleging that they were sold to men who posted ads on Backpage. A federal judge ruled that Backpage’s actions constituted “traditional publisher functions” with respect to third-party content and were shielded under CDA Section 230.
New Jersey enacted a law to try to legislate Backpage out of existence. In August 2013 a federal judge enjoined the state’s law, finding it to be preempted by CDA Section 230 and in violation of the First Amendment and Commerce Clause.