[Infowarrior] - Internet Agency Rejects .xxx Domain

[Richard Forno]

Internet Agency Rejects .xxx Domain
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/technology/AP-Internet-Pornography.html?_r=1
&hp&oref=slogin

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 30, 2007

Filed at 6:00 a.m. ET

LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- The agency that sets the Internet addressing
guidelines influencing how people navigate the Web defeated a proposal
Friday to give adult Web sites their own ''.xxx'' domain.

Many in the adult-entertainment industry and religious groups alike had
criticized the plan, which the Canadian government also warned this week
could leave the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers in the
tricky business of content regulation.

The 9-5 decision by ICANN's board came nearly seven years after the proposal
was first floated by ICM Registry LLC. It was the third time ICANN has
rejected such a bid. One member abstained from voting.

''We are extremely disappointed by the boards action today,'' said Stuart
Lawley, ICM's president and chief executive. ''It is not supportable for any
of the reasons articulated by the board, ignores the rules ICANN itself
adopted for the RFP, and makes a mockery of ICANN by-laws' prohibition of
unjustifiable discriminatory treatment.''

He added that ICM would pursue the matter energetically.

Many of the board members said they were concerned about the possibility
that ICANN could find itself in the content regulation business if the
domain name was approved. Others criticized that, saying ICANN should not
block new domains over fears like that, noting that local, state and
national laws could be used to decide what is pornographic and what is not.

Other board members said they believed that opposition to the domain by the
adult industry, including Web masters, content providers and others, was
proof that the issue was divisive and that ''.xxx'' was not a welcome
domain.