The action follows a wave of criticism by law-enforcement officials and groups that oppose human trafficking, who have said that the adult section of Craigslist was a hub for prostitution and trafficking of women against their will.

Last month the attorneys general from 17 states sent a letter to Craigslist’s chief executive, Jim Buckmaster, and its founder, Craig Newmark, asking the company to immediately remove the adult services section.

“Your much-touted ‘manual review’ of Adult Services ads has failed to yield any discernible reduction in obvious solicitations,” the letter said.

“We recognize that Craigslist may lose the considerable revenue generated by the Adult Services ads. No amount of money can justify the scourge of illegal prostitution, and the suffering of the women and children who will continue to be victimized, in the market and trafficking provided by Craigslist.”

In the past, Craigslist has argued that the Communications Decency Act protects it from liability for what its users post.

Officials and executives of Craigslist, which is based in San Francisco, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Since May 2009, Craigslist has said, all adult services ads have been manually screened by a lawyer before being posted to the site.

In an e-mail to The New York Times in April, Mr. Buckmaster said, “Misuse of Craigslist for criminal purposes is utterly unacceptable, and Craigslist will continue to work with its partners in law enforcement and at nongovernmental organizations until it is eliminated.”

The ads, which cost $10 to post and $5 to repost, are expected to bring Craigslist $36 million in revenue this year, according to the Advanced Interactive Media Group, an organization that analyzes Craigslist, which is a private company and does not report financial figures.

The personal ads section of the site is still accessible.

CL is also rejecting some ads on therapeutic services as well.....

"Down in a hole and I don't know if I can escape"