"Nine new Internet domain names, including ".xxx" for adult content and ".mail" for spam-free communications, could join the more familiar ".com" and ".net" Web site suffixes later this year." The ".xxx" domain is sponsored by the International Foundation for Online Responsibility. According to the group's Web site, it would encourage the adoption of the suffix among the "responsible online adult-entertainment community." (Reuters)



Response from the adult community has been mixed. We all want to protect kids, but a .xxx is not a perfect solution. Many say the .xxx domain name, although not required by law may be become required by other industry players such as search engines, for purposes of censorship. The domain name industry is a multibillion dollar industry with much to gain when new domain name extensions are offered. For example, for a site like 4adultporn.com to keep its intellectual property from being misrepresented by another site with the same name, they must protect domains of all extensions (or those related to its business; however .com will always be the default when searching in your location bar). Unless their .com is trademarked it can be misrepresented under another domain name - 4adultporn.xxx could have a different owner, just as the .com and .net of different websites. This type of virtual property is expensive to secure, so while trying to help keep kids out and protect their business, adult site owners must also continue to face censorship (adult filters work just as well as any domain name extension like .xxx and are readily used and available), and reinvest in domain names and possibly search engine rankings. It is viable that other forces beyond "protecting kids" are driving the money machines that create forces for these types of decisions. For example, if Yahoo were to unlist all adult sites that do not carry the .xxx extension (for which Yahoo already charges 300% over what it costs to list non-adult sites) adult site owners would be forced to buy a .xxx domain and market in engines under it, repaying to get listed ($600 per domain name per year for directory listings or up to $10,000 for 5,000 clicks per month per year for web search reesult listings), undoing years of marketing work and suffering up to 70% or more of revenue. Many of our favorite sites would disappear. So, is the .xxx "solution" one that will protect kids from adult content any more than what is already available, or is it just another way for administrative entities to make more money, indirectly, from the porn industry as Time Warner, GM and AOL. Not convinced? Check out this report from ABC News broadcasted 1/28/2004. Consider that the most offensive types of porn originate from outside the US where a .xxx option or requirement is irrelevant, getting all adult sites to switch to a .xxx is just as likely as a .mail address eliminating spam. Sure, and every .org domain is a non profit organization. There is no easy answer, but we're working on it!