The “adult services” section of Craigslist is gone. But is it gone permanently? Or just  dropped temporarily?

          The space on Craigslist where “adult services” was has been replaced by a black bar with the word “censored.”

          There’s no word yet on whether “adult services” — ads placed for and by prostitutes — are gone forever, or just for now. Craigslist has not posted any comments to its blog, and spokeswoman Susan MacTavish Best isn’t answering her phone nor e-mails. Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster and namesake Craig Newmark haven’t responded to e-mails, either.

          Our last published revenue estimate for Craigslist’s adult services section was that the company would take in $36 million this year. However, we’ve recently updated that research and found that the revenue for prostitution ads has increased substantially during the last six months.

          Craigslist has come under strong pressure from a wide variety of sources, including state attorneys general, the Boston Globe and a number of organizations to eliminate the sex ads.

          Village Voice Media, which publishes alternative weeklies and Backpage.com, takes in millions of dollars annually from its prostitution ads — which are much more graphic and salacious than the ads on Craigslist.

           We’ve written literally dozens — maybe hundreds — of articles about the Craigslist adult-services, and previously “erotic services,” section. Just search our site for more coverage.