SALINAS, Calif. -- The site is called "Potential Prostitutes." It claims to operate based on the efforts of the community members. The site hopes to discourage so called prostitutes from soliciting online for sex.
The problem is anyone can post, there is no filter or verification of who's going on the site, so prostitute or not, you could be going up on "Potential Prostitutes."
All their information is online for the world to see, and the even bigger problem? To get your picture down its going cost you. You may think that's illegal, but one attorney said freedom of speech protects the site.
With the click of your mouse you can look up anything online. But as Central Coast News found out on potentialprostitues.com, it's also that easy to accuse someone of prostitution.
Officer Miguel Cabrera took a look at the site and out of the 18 women accused of prostitution in Monterey County, he didn't recognize a single one. Which makes him question the validity of the site.
He said its the concept behind the web site that raises some concern. Police said it comes off like it's something to help the community, but the idea is cheapened when you have to pay the site to remove information.
If someone wanted to take down the profile, it will cost $100.
"Once an image is posted it becomes the property of the web site and web sites have policies on what to require from people who want things taken down," said Thomas Worthington, Attorney.
Worthington said building up a criminal case against the site would be difficult. He said accusing the site of extortion would be hard to do since you need to prove the intent was to extort. But since posting is anonymous, proving that is close to impossible.
"I don't see how the web site accepted the photograph with the intent of charging someone to take it off again," said Worthington.
The web site does have a section on the site that tells people it can't be sued because it is protected through the Communications Decency Act the same thing web sites like Facebook and Craigslist are protected by.
