Craig's List Seattle Sex Scandal, or, why your husband's penis is now appearing on hundreds of internet sites

One week ago today, Seattleite Jason Fortuny and a buddy executed a heinous prank. They copied a hot/hardcore sex ad from another site (along with the sad explicit photo) and placed an ad on the Seattle Craig's List as a "Women Seeking Men" ad. [Editor's note: While this article is "safe for work," the word penis in the title may negate any verbal gymnastics and laying between the lines performed in the story that follows. The links contained within this story are, however, most assuredly not safe for work].

Fortuny then published every single response , with their photos (in some cases, including photos of the responder's penises) and their personal data (names, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, and worst of all, their written responses). The trollers then invited readers to help identify the responders and add additional data. . .piling ignominy on the embarrassment, all the more because it was a sick ad, requesting rough trade, bondage, and humiliation. The original ad clearly originated from someone deeply involved in S & M.

Jason received 178 responses to the bogus ad, along with 145 photos. He would have received many more, had Craig's List not taken the ad down numerous times. Fortuny has been assailed on all fronts, from threats of violence to having his own personal information published. The New York Times interviewed him last Friday, and Wired magazine called him a sociopath. Lawyers are now threatening to sue, and even criminal action has been proposed. The story has now been propogated all over the internet, to dozens, and now, hundreds of web sites and blogs.

Was what Fortuny did outrageous? Sure. Do I think it was wrong? I don't know. Here is a link to Fortuny's ad, which contains other links to emails he has received from the "victims," including wives who saw (and heard about) their husband's emails, and beg Fortuny to take them down.

This is twisted on so many levels, and like a train wreck, it is pretty interesting to watch. The link also includes the names of the responders, along with their personal information. Some morons even used their work emails to respond, including one person from Microsoft.

A quick perusal didn't turn up anyone I know. If you live in the Seattle area, you might find your co-worker, professor, friend, that weird clerk at the 7-11,or even husband's, or boyfriend's name here. If you're lucky, you might find your boss smiling, showing his pride and joy to all the world.
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