ICANN approves .xxx top level domain

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has given the .XXX top-level domain (TLD) its final seal of approval. The TLD is meant to give pornographic websites a clearly marked home on the Internet.

The .XXX top level domain was first proposed by ICM Registry in 2000, but it faced strong opposition from politicians, conservative groups and even from within the adult entertainment businesses, arguing that it would lead to censorship and promote legislation harmful to the industry.

As we reported on this site earlier, supporters of this idea believe that creating an adult section in the online world will enable the administrator of these domains to protect the interests of consumers, underage users and also to detect criminal activity on the websites. In the future this could possibly include to a broad scheme of illegal activities, like for example, copyright infringements.

The .XXX top level domain got preliminary approval in June of 2010 and was finally approved last friday. ICM Registry will manage the .XXX suffix, and those looking to register an .XXX domain must first complete an application process that will be overseen by the International Foundation for Online Responsibility (IFFOR). The domains will be limited to the adult industry, and ICM says adult sites that already own .com TLDs will be able to reserve their names in the .XXX domain so that they can protect their brand names and intellectual property rights within .XXX.

Sources:  ICANN, Ars Technica