The Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), has given in after a decade-long battle and approved the .xxx domain name for Web sites carrying adult content.
The new domain will now join “.com” and “.org” by creating what is being called an online “red-light district” for pornographic Web sites.
The idea has been met with great consternation from religious groups and, surprisingly, pornographers as well.
Religious groups argue that giving such sites their own domain name legitimises the content, while those involved in the industry feel the .xxx label will “ghettoise” their sites.
While the adoption of the domain name is voluntary, it is expected that governments could mandate the domain's use in order to block the content more easily.
Diane Duke, executive director of the adult entertainment industry's Free Speech Coalition, said in a statement that ICANN has "disregarded overwhelming outpouring of opposition from the adult entertainment industry - the supposed sponsorship community" and dismissed the "interests of free speech on the Internet".
Stuart Lawley, CEO of ICM Registry (the company that submitted the application for the domain), stands to profit from the roll-out of the domain, as he will be in charge of collecting fees.
Lawley reportedly plans to charge registrars $60 per year for the domain names. He estimates that he could sell as many as 500 000 by the time he rolls them out this year. Domain names typically sell for a fraction of Lawley's proposed fee - often selling for $10 or less.
Some established sites have already reportedly felt strong-armed into pre-purchasing their brands' domains in the copycat .xxx realm.
After having his proposal consistently rejected since 2000, Lawley began to argue that the domain would make for easier filtering of sites with x-rated content.
ICM has already sold over a quarter-million pre-registrations.
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