The Washington State Supreme Court ruled Thursday that three girls can sue online marketplace Backpage.com over claims that they were sold as prostitutes on the site. Marcie Sillman talks to Jason Amala, a lawyer representing the victims, about the ruling and what it means for Backpage.com.
The court said the site can be held liable for publishing illegal content. The girls' lawsuit, filed in 2011, alleges that the company knowingly created an online marketplace to help sex traffickers. It also charges that the site helped traffickers develop and write ads to avoid detection by law enforcement.