Classifieds website Backpage.com has removed adult advertisement pages, citing pressure from the government over the content of the ads.

The decision to ditch the ads came just after the release of a Senate subcommittee report that shared findings from an investigation into Backpage. Executives and founding members of the service were set to appear before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Tuesday.

The Senate panel’s investigation, led by Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Ohio Republican Rob Portman, alleged Backpage actively helped to hide criminal activity by removing words from ads that would have exposed prostitution and child sex trafficking. Backpage was also accused of not complying with requests from Congress to provide revenue information.

On Tuesday, advertisements on the website’s escort service section produced a message that claimed Backpage had been “unconstitutionally censored” by the U.S. government.

The message links to a press release issued by the site, which states, “As the direct result of unconstitutional government censorship, Backpage.com has removed its Adult content section from the highly popular classified website, effective immediately.”

Backpage claims the government has used undue tactics to force the company to remove its adult content, including “pressuring credit card companies to cease doing business with Backpage.”

The company also linked to a collection of statements from law enforcement officers, gathered over the last several years, in which officials have thanked Backpage for its cooperation into investigations. A statement from the Center for Democracy and Technology calling the shutdown of adult ads a “direct blow to the freedom of speech we enjoy online” was also included.

Dr. Lois Lee, the founder and president of Children of the Night, a Los Angeles-based national hotline and shelter program for victims of sex trafficking, issued a statement calling it a “sad day for America’s children victimized by prostitution.”

Lee explained, “Backpage.com was a critical investigative tool depended on by America's vice detectives and agents in the field to locate and recover missing children and to arrest and successfully prosecute the pimps who prostitute children.” According to Lee, Backpage would “bend over backwards to help and cooperate with police.”

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) applauded the push from the Senate. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the organization said it is “gratified to know that as a result of the recent decision, a child is now less likely to be sold for sex on Backpage.” NCMEC noted it previously called upon Backpage to take appropriate measure to ensure the site wasn’t abetting in the sale of children for sex.

The findings of the Senate report were backed by a ruling issued by the Washington state Supreme Court last year, which found Backpage helped develop the content of the ads that it hosted—though some have argued Backpage was merely describing its content policy and making sure the content was suitable for the site. The case allowed three child sex trafficking victims to continue a civil lawsuit against Backpage.

Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer was arrested in October 2016 and charged with pimping a minor, pimping and conspiracy to commit pimping. Two controlling shareholders in Backpage, Michael Lacey and James Larkin, were also charged with conspiracy to commit pimping. Those charges were eventually dismissed.

Backpage executives appeared in front of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on Tuesday following the publication of the panel’s report. The executives did not testify, opting to invoke their Fifth Amendment rights.

Ads for escort services remain active outside the U.S., including in other cities in North America. Other advertisements on the site, including its dating section, remain active inside and outside of the U.S.

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