A front-page article is a story that is prominently displayed on the first page of a newspaper. Generally, it is the day’s biggest news story that is also of interest to a broad audience. The front page will often tease a few stories from inside the newspaper that are also important and interesting to read.
A sex trafficking case against Backpage, the classified ads website, is continuing to make headlines. Three Jane Does who were sex trafficked as minors sued Backpage in federal court, arguing that its business and editorial practices, and the design of its site, facilitated sex trafficking. The district court ruled against them. On appeal, the First Circuit ruled that Backpage’s actions were “traditional publisher functions” regarding third-party content, and therefore shielded by CDA Section 230.
However, the federal judge enjoined New Jersey’s law that was passed to stop Backpage, finding it “hopelessly vague and overbroad,” in violation of the First Amendment and Commerce Clause. He also noted that the state had failed to show how the law would stop Backpage from facilitating prostitution.