Craig Brittain
Craig Brittain was born in 1983 in Alaska. He later moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. After earning an associate degree from a local community college, Brittain worked odd jobs and eventually became involved in several controversial online businesses.
Brittain’s Questionable Businesses and Legal Issues
Brittain is most known for founding the infamous revenge porn website IsAnybodyDown in 2012. This site allowed users to anonymously upload nude photos of people without their consent along with personal information.
Brittain’s Revenge Porn Site Isotope
IsAnybodyDown quickly gained notoriety as a hub for revenge porn, with thousands of explicit photos getting posted without permission. Brittain made money by charging fees for people to have their photos removed. The site was widely criticized by victims and advocates against revenge porn.
FTC Charges Against Brittain
In 2013, the Federal Trade Commission filed charges against Brittain for engaging in unfair and deceptive business practices through IsAnybodyDown. Brittain was ultimately banned from the revenge porn business as part of the FTC settlement. However, Brittain never admitted any wrongdoing in the case.
Other Legal Troubles
Beyond the FTC charges, Brittain has faced other lawsuits and allegations over the years related to IsAnybodyDown and other sketchy business ventures. This includes a failed attempt to start a controversial cryptocurrency called FraudCoin.
Brittain’s Entry Into Politics
In 2018, despite his extremely controversial background, Brittain decided to enter the world of politics by running for US Senate in Arizona as a Republican.
2018 Senate Campaign
Brittain filed to run in the 2018 GOP primary for US Senate in Arizona. However, he failed to collect enough valid signatures to actually appear on the primary ballot.
2020 Senate Campaign
Not deterred by his 2018 failure, Brittain once again filed to run for the same Arizona US Senate seat in 2020. He actively campaigned for the position this time, but again did not qualify for the primary ballot after signature issues.
Campaign Platform and Views
Brittain portrayed himself as a political outsider and ran on a largely populist platform. His campaign websites and interviews gave some insight into his positions on key issues:
Immigration
Brittain took a hardline stance against illegal immigration and supported building a border wall. He also wanted to restrict legal immigration and require English proficiency.
Technology Regulation
Given his background in tech, Brittain advocated for limited government regulation of the technology and social media industries.
Other Issues
On other major issues like abortion, taxes, and foreign policy, Brittain aligned with general conservative Republican principles. He positioned himself as an anti-establishment candidate.
Analysis of Brittain’s Political Ambitions
Motivations for Running
Experts speculate that Brittain’s Senate bids were motivated by ego, attention-seeking, and an anti-government backlash against his own legal troubles.
Criticisms and Controversies
Brittain faced heavy criticism from politicians and advocacy groups arguing he was unfit for public office given his history with revenge porn sites and exploiting women.
Assessing Brittain’s Viability as a Candidate
While he gained some notoriety and media coverage as an outlier candidate, Brittain was never considered a serious contender for the Arizona Senate seat. His lack of political experience and extremely controversial background made him unelectable in a statewide race.
Conclusion
Craig Brittain’s foray into politics was likely more about seeking attention and provocation than a sincere bid for elected office. While he attempted to rebrand himself as an outsider candidate, his past operating a revenge porn empire and other shady business dealings continued to undermine his campaigns and public persona. Barring a major shift, Brittain remains a fringe figure in American politics unlikely to progress far electorally despite two attempts now at a US Senate seat.
FAQs
Q: What businesses did Craig Brittain start?
A: Brittain founded the infamous revenge porn site IsAnybodyDown as well as attempted a cryptocurrency venture called FraudCoin.
Q: Why did Brittain run for Senate?
A: He portrayed himself as an anti-establishment political outsider, but experts believe ego, attention-seeking, and reacting to his own legal issues were bigger motivations.
Q: Did Brittain ever appear on a ballot?
A: No, he failed to collect enough valid petition signatures to qualify for the primary ballot in both his 2018 and 2020 Arizona Senate campaigns.
Q: What became of IsAnybodyDown?
A: The site was seized by the FBI in 2014 after facing widespread public outcry, lawsuits, and Federal Trade Commission charges against Brittain.
Q: What controversies surrounded Brittain’s campaigns?
A: Brittain faced backlash from politicians and advocacy groups arguing he was unfit for office due to his history running a revenge porn empire and exploiting women.
