Craigslist is an online classifieds website. It was created by one man, Craig Newmark, in 1999 and has since become one of the most popular websites on the Internet. Although most people can post ads and respond to ads free of charge, a few elements of Craigslist do require payment.
Uses
Craigslist is used to post advertisements for a wide variety of purposes. Examples include job hunting, job posting, buying and selling items, advertising local events, house hunting and personals. Craigslist also consists of many discussion forums covering a wide variety of topics, such as frugal living, vegetarianism, religion and life over 50.
Locations
Craigslist began as a classifieds website for the San Fransisco area. It has now expanded to cover every continent of the world -- 450 cities in 50 different countries. When you log onto Craigslist, you will automatically be directed to the page specific to your location. To search other locations on Craigslist, click on "CL Worldwide" at the bottom of the toolbar at the right of the page.
Cost
As previously stated, most people can post and respond to ads on Craigslist for free. One exception is "help wanted" ads in a number of cities, which cost anywhere from $25 to $50 as of the time of publication. The other two exceptions as of the time of publication are apartment listings in New York City for $10 and therapeutic listings in the United States for $10. People can also donate money to Craigslist if they choose.
Criticisms
Craigslist has been heavily criticized for killing the traditional business of newspaper classified ads. A number of reporters have even referred to Newmark as "the man who killed the newspaper." The website has also been criticized for not monitoring ads closely enough, which makes it easier for predators and spammers to fool their victims.
