Dot filth
ICM Registry, the company behind the proposed .xxx top-level domain for adult entertainment sites, has announced that ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), has approved the .xxx domain after years of mulling it over.
The ICANN approval should now fast-track the finalisation of the process, which could see porn sites move en masse to the .xxx domain before the end of the year. ICM Registry already has 110,000 pre-reservations and we've heard rumours that porn's quite popular on the Internet.
Commenting in an ICM Registry blog post, chairman Stuart Lawley said: "It's been a long time coming, but I'm excited about the fact that .xxx will soon become a reality. This is great news."
What this will actually change, however, remains to be seen, as those so inclined have - we've been told - had little trouble finding smut online if they wanted to. Here's what ICM Registry says will be the benefits to consumers and producers of adult entertainment:
- The effective labeling of content, so that individuals and search engines know that .xxx websites likely contain adult content, which will allow for simple and effective filtering for those who wish to do so
- Best Business Practices to provide and promote confidence and certainty in .xxx domains
- More predictable revenue streams, greater customer retention and fewer complaints for adult entertainment suppliers
- A credible self-regulated forum for impacted stakeholders to discuss and develop policies relating to online adult entertainment
