NEWS The non-profit organisation responsible for internet addresses has approved dot-xxx domains, a move that reverses the group's earlier position and heads off a potential political spat with conservative US politicians.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) said it's working with the ICM Registry to finalise remaining details, meaning the porn-friendly set of dot-xxx domains should be available by the end of the year. Other top-level domains still awaiting a decision from Icann are dot-asia, dot-mail, and dot-tel.
Stuart Lawley, chairman of the ICM Registry, could not be immediately reached for comment. In an interview last year, Lawley said that dot-xxx domain names would cost around $75 and come with no restrictions except that any sexually explicit content feature only adults. "Apart from child pornography, which is completely illegal, we're really not in the content-monitoring business," Lawley said.
ICM Registry plans to handle the technical aspects of running the master database of dot-xxx sex sites. A second, non-profit organisation called the International Foundation For Online Responsibility will be in charge of setting the rules for dot-xxx. It's intended to have a seven-person board of directors, including a child advocacy advocate, a free-expression aficionado and someone from the adult entertainment industry.
Icann's vote represents an abrupt turnabout from the group's earlier stance. In November 2000, the Icann staff objected to domains such as dot-kids and dot-xxx and rejected ICM Registry's first application.
Politicians quickly lambasted the decision. At a hearing a few months later, Rep Fred Upton demanded to know why Icann didn't approve dot-xxx "as a means of protecting our kids from the awful, awful filth, which is sometimes widespread on the internet". Sen Joseph Lieberman complained (click for PDF) to a federal commission that dot-xxx was necessary to force adult webmasters to "abide by the same standard as the proprietor of an X-rated movie theatre".
Even though ICM Registry's approach is designed to be free-speech-friendly, the American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concerns about dot-xxx domains. One worry is that some nations may force sites dealing with sensitive topics such as homosexuality or birth control into the dot-xxx zone, where they can be easily blocked.
Declan McCullagh writes for CNET News.com
Comments
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1. anonymous
Great, at last some sense has prevailed.
As to this thought about moving sites away from know domain names why don't we keep the existing domain names .com .uk .fr etc and add on the .xxx at the end. If a site is managed by an educational establishement for the education of students then you have the edu.xxx option or edu.uk.xxx option. Users can then open up these domains only and block any others.
2. anonymous
Wow, about time.
Since I've been in IT (10 years) the amount of administration & junk to keep out porn etc - now if we could force or even give for free the .xxx version of what they already have so you can easily block it - that would be true freedom.
The amount of resources for business and administrators to keep it out, just won a major step.
For parents or non-viewers it is also a great step to never have to look at stuff they don't want.
3. James P. Lockling
I think this is a great idea, for those who need to view porn, to have their own dedicated web site domain, dot XXX. And then REQUIRE that all existing and/or perceived porn sites that are presently on the dot com sites to move them over to the new xxx domain within a minimal specified time frame, perhaps within 3 > 6 months of deployment. If they do not cooperate and move the site on a timely basis, then those sites in violation would be shut down by the ICANN and ICM Registry. This would certainly go a long ways to alleviate parents fears of children inadvertently accessing a porn site on the dot com domain. Presently, these porn sites on the dot com are very difficult to block, because the webmasters have become very clever and astute at disguising the real nature and content of a site, utilizing crafty and wily wordage to tempt a person to access it. Fine and dandy, but let them do it on their own domain, and they won’t have to resort to deceitful tactics to trick people. If adults wish to view such porn, then let them do it on their own turf…away from the eyes of children. I’ll be standing in the wings waiting. I also intend to forward these comments onto the FCC, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Rep Fred Upton, et al, for their perusal.