.xxx domain approved by ICANN for adult websites

The Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) that supervises the formation and allotment of web addresses finally approved the .xxx domain name for pornographic websites on the Internet, after a meeting held in Brussels.

Ironically, the Internet porn community has rallied against the special domain name, citing that it would increase unwanted regulations and censorship on the worldwide web.

ICM Registry, the Florida-based company that sponsored the dot-xxx domain, has said that the new domain name would allow for the creation of the equivalent of a red-light district on the internet. According to the company, the domain name would also help in keeping out viruses, spam and issues related to credit card fraud as well.

According to the company, the new domain name will also be beneficial to the growing number of internet users who could easily recognize a website with the .xxx domain name to contain adult content and could block websites with the address. Consumers of online adult content would benefit from .xxx domains also, as websites with the domain name will have to adhere to certain operational standards that make it safer for adult consumers to access paid porn websites.

However, pornographic community is against the new domain, arguing that the specific blocking of adult websites will lead to a decrease in their revenues. Trade organizations for the adult industry such as the Free Speech Coalition are also against the move, stating that websites with content regarding topics such as homosexuality, that are considered offensive by conservative members of the US Congress, could be forced to adopt the .xxx domain name, allowing the content to be blocked without reason.

The approval of the .xxx domain by ICANN has drawn protests from many religious groups as well, which claim the move could lead to the increase of pornographic content on the internet. The ICANN had previously rejected the .xx domain in 2007, although the company has now claimed that it was done on technical grounds.

However, ICM Registry is confident of earning revenues worth $30 million every year from the domain name at a price of $60 for each website with the .xxx suffix, of which $10 will be donated a non-profit organization involved in ensuring responsibility in business practices in the online pornography industry. Though a final contract is yet to be negotiated between ICANN and ICM, ICANN has said that websites with the .xxx suffix would appear online by 2011.

The online sex industry is known for earning high revenues with the Internet Pornography Statistics stating that over $3000 is spent every second on internet-based porn and the term “sex” tops the list of most-searched words in internet searches.