CDA 230 and Sex Work: How Online Safety Laws Impact Escorts and Platforms

When you hear CDA 230, a 1996 U.S. law that shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content. Also known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, it was meant to let websites grow without being sued for what users post. But for sex workers, it became a double-edged sword. It let platforms like Backpage and Craigslist host ads—until they didn’t. Once pressure mounted, platforms didn’t just remove sex work content—they erased entire categories, leaving workers offline and more vulnerable.

That’s where online platform policies, the rules companies set to moderate content, often stricter than the law come in. Even if CDA 230 protects them legally, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and PayPal now block sex workers from advertising, accepting payments, or even sharing safety tips. digital censorship, the removal of content by platforms under pressure or vague policies doesn’t just silence voices—it cuts off income and isolates people who rely on these tools to screen clients, share emergency contacts, or warn others about dangerous people.

And it’s not just about ads. When platforms shut down sex work content, they also remove access to sex worker rights, the ability to organize, advocate, and access resources without fear of being deplatformed. Workers who used forums to swap safety tips, share location alerts, or find legal help suddenly had nowhere to go. Some turned to encrypted apps, but those aren’t foolproof. Others lost banking access, got frozen accounts, or couldn’t rent apartments because their income couldn’t be verified.

Meanwhile, sex work laws, local and state rules that criminalize certain activities keep tightening, and CDA 230 gives platforms an excuse to avoid responsibility. They say they’re just following the law—but the law is outdated, inconsistent, and often targets workers, not buyers. The result? Workers are pushed into riskier situations: street-based work, unvetted clients, or cash-only transactions with no paper trail.

There’s no law that says platforms have to protect sex workers. CDA 230 doesn’t require them to. But it also doesn’t stop them from doing better. Some groups are pushing for changes—like requiring platforms to create safe, verified spaces for adult workers, or to stop punishing people for using terms like "companionship" or "massage" when they’re just trying to stay alive. Until then, workers are left to navigate a broken system alone.

What you’ll find below isn’t just a list of articles. It’s a collection of real strategies, legal breakdowns, and safety tools built by people who’ve been pushed offline. From how to use discreet alarms when you can’t post online, to understanding what happens when police raid your apartment because of a deleted ad, these posts give you what you need to survive—and fight back—when the system won’t.