Battle Over .XXX Domain Continues

The Florida based company, ICM Registry Inc., is appealing the May 10 decision by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to shoot down the proposed creation of an internet "red-light district".

The proposal seeks to create a new .xxx top-level domain (like .com or .org) for adult oriented websites. Registration with .xxx would be voluntary.

ICM Registry, who stands to profit handsomely from managing the new TLD, has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against ICANN, claiming the independent oversight organization has been unduly influenced by the U.S. government.

Opinions are like assholes and everyone is puckering up on this issue.

ICM maintains that their proposed .xxx top-level domain will benefit adult content providers as well as protect Internet users from offensive content. According to their website "the .xxx top-level domain will create a clearly identifiable area of the Internet so that Internet users can be more informed when choosing to select or avoid adult entertainment sites."

ICANN's position is suspiciously vague, claiming that "public policy concerns" were not adequately addressed in the proposed ICM contract. However, dissent within the organization suggests the Bush Administration has been holding a gun to ICANN's head.

"We should not run the risk of turning ICANN into a convenient choke-point for the content related limitations desired by governments around the world," said ICANN board member Susan Crawford after the decision.

Critics of the decision claim that the U.S. government pressure on ICANN is coming from right-wing conservative Christian groups. Indeed, the Christian Coalition of America has been extremely vocal on the issue, claiming .xxx will make pornography even more accessible on the Internet.

On the other, other hand, members of the adult entertainment community are also opposed to the .xxx TLD due to fears that it will ghettoize the Internet porn industry, making it even easier for government to censor what it deems obscene.

Opinions aside, this issue is not going away any time soon.

According to ICM chairman Stuart Lawley, "We've got deep pockets. We're very determined."