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Icann approve top-level sex domain [dot] .xxx for pornography websites
by StuartMarch 19th, 2011
2 Comments
So, ICANN have finally approved the top level domain [dot] .xxx for porn sites.
ICANN are entering into an agreement with ICM Registry who proposed the domain name .xxx back in 2004.
With over 30% of Internet activity dedicated to pornography this is hardly a surprising development, especially given the potential for this to generate $1 billion in online transactions a year.
Apparently there have been 239,836 pre-reservations for .xxx domain already. (This figure is accurate at time of posting.)
The justification for this move is that it will be easier to filter out inappropriate content. This is of course bunkum, as pornographers will simply utilise the .xxx domain in addition to traditional domains.
Interestingly, the porn industry is not overwhelmingly supportive of this move as they are concerned their content will be ghettoised. They also fear governments could try to control the domain’s usage, so that pornographic content is more easily blocked.
The ‘ghettoisation’ effect is the same concern levelled against the creation of the .god domain.
Intriguingly, back in 2009 the Pope called on ICANN to keep religion out of the domain name system.
The genie is out of the bottle now for the .xxx domain and the message given by this move is undoubtedly one of legitimisation for the pornography industry.
Posted by Stuart James
2 Comments
The contentious XXX extension will have no affect on adult Dotcom websites; adult Dotcoms will remain unchanged. Furthermore, with so much adverse publicity – including threats by Governments to block XXX country by country – many will look to avoid the XXX webspace completely. For those compelled to reserve domains defensively, it’s likely that anonymity will be required as names get set as Unresolvable and/or Unknown. The outcome? Perhaps a mass of “For Sale” signs by speculators looking to offload their XXX investments.
All ICANN has done here is to openly advance fragmentation of the Web and encourage people to find new ways of making the most of their surfing experience. The result is that Internet users are now bypassing ICANN to create their own unique, memorable and personalised range of brand new Dashcom Domains and TLDs, totally free.
Sites such as Dashworlds.com now provide brand new Dashcom (not Dotcom) domain names. Dashcoms are addresses in format “business-com”, “paris-fashion”, “social-network” (and of course any XXX your heart might desire). Totally outside the realm and control of ICANN, Internet users can create any domain or TLD in any language, instantly and at no cost.
With users and members in over 90 countries worldwide, resolution is via an APP; although new ISP Links are available to make this unnecessary (ISP Links that are also available to ICANN).
Having just one Internet floating in infinite cyberspace is like saying you can go anywhere in the USA as long as you only use route 66. So now, just as in the USA (and everywhere else in the world) the Internet has more than one option.
insane thought 6 6 p 8 2 i u u e