Pioneering Digital Trust with craigslist Founder, Craig Newmark

In the sixth episode of Internet Changemakers, hosts Claire van Zwieten and Yug Desai sit down with Craig Newmark, the quietly influential founder of craigslist, a global classified advertisements website, and a major advocate for cybersecurity, journalism, and digital resilience. Known for his values-driven approach, Craig shares the story behind one of the Internet’s most enduring classified platforms, revealing how his vision was shaped by trust, community, and a commitment to the common good.

Craig traces his journey from his first encounter with the ARPANET in the 1970s to the launch of craigslist as a simple, community-focused mailing list in the 1990s. He explains how the platform grew organically, rooted in the philosophy of treating people the way he wanted to be treated—a principle inspired by his early life and Sunday school values. Craigslist’s intentionally simple design, low barriers to access, and focus on user service over profit set it apart in an age increasingly dominated by dark patterns and aggressive monetization. Craig discusses his transition from running craigslist to leading major philanthropic efforts, including funding cybersecurity initiatives, supporting military families, and helping create the Cyber Resilience Corps. He also talks about the importance of building networks of networks—coalitions of goodwill that can fight back against cyber threats and strengthen the Internet’s social fabric.