.xxx
76ms
(Upbeat, informative tone)
Dot triple-ecks, or .xxx, a sponsored top-level domain, designed as a voluntary choice for adult content on the internet. The International Foundation for Online Responsibility, or IFFOR, is the sponsoring organization, with ICM Registry LLC operating the registry. The ICANN Board gave its approval on March 18th, 2011, and it became operational on April 15th, 2011.
The .xxx TLD entered its sunrise period on September 7th, 2011, concluding on October 28th. A landrush period followed from November 8th to the 25th, with general availability commencing on December 6th, 2011.
(Slightly more serious, explanatory tone)
The concept behind a gTLD for sexually explicit material was to provide a tool for managing the complex landscape of online adult content. The idea was to help parents and employers filter content more effectively, using the TLD as a block, rather than relying on more intricate content-based filtering.
Advocates believed this would simplify blocking for those who wish to restrict access, without hindering those who want to view it. However, content creators expressed concerns that a single TLD like .xxx could make it easier for search engines to block all their material.
Critics, on the other hand, argued that since its use is voluntary, explicit content would still be prevalent in other domains. They predicted a "landrush" as existing .com domain owners with adult content would scramble to register .xxx equivalents, competing with others seeking desirable names. There were also worries that .xxx could lead to mandatory usage, sparking legal debates over definitions of "sexually explicit" content, free speech, and jurisdiction.
Early indications also suggested that .xxx domains might be registered for marketing purposes, leveraging adult connotations for humor and promotion, rather than for explicit content. Examples like "kite.xxx" for extreme sports, and "popebenedict.xxx" with pro-Islamic content, highlight this unexpected use.
(More narrative, historical tone)
ICM Registry first proposed the .XXX TLD back in 2000, with a resubmission in 2004, but faced significant opposition. ICANN announced preliminary approval in June 2005, but discussions were later removed from the agenda, casting doubt on its future. After a letter of concern from the Governmental Advisory Committee and a reversal of approval in 2006, a revised proposal was put forth in 2007, which was again rejected.
In 2008, ICM initiated an independent review challenging ICANN's decision. Following a live hearing and submission of evidence, an independent review panel declared in February 2010 that the application met sponsorship criteria and that ICANN's reconsideration was inconsistent with its own policies. This led ICANN to restart the process, including renewed due diligence and consultations.
Finally, on March 18th, 2011, ICANN's board approved the registry agreement with ICM for the .xxx sponsored top-level domain, with a vote of nine in favor, four against, and three abstentions. ICM was projected to generate over $200 million annually, anticipating 3 to 5 million domain registrations, including defensive registrations by companies.
(Slightly more dramatic, detailing conflict)
Opposition to the .xxx domain was significant. In November 2011, Manwin International, a major pornography company, filed for a second ICANN Independent Review, seeking to void the .xxx delegation or open it to competition upon renewal. On the same day, Manwin, along with adult film studio Digital Playground, filed a lawsuit against ICM, alleging antitrust and competition violations, claiming a lack of competitive process for the contract award. While the case against ICANN was allowed to proceed, it was voluntarily dismissed by the parties in May 2013, likely due to a private settlement.
The Free Speech Coalition also opposed the domain, arguing it would harm the adult entertainment business through censorship and blocking, while benefiting ICM financially.
(Concluding tone, factual)
Alternative implementations of .xxx existed prior to the ICANN-approved version, through private domain registration services like New.net and the now-defunct AlterNIC's alternative DNS root systems.
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.xxx (pronounced "dot triple-ecks" or "dot ecks ecks ecks") is a sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) intended as a voluntary option for pornographic sites on the Internet. The sponsoring organization is the International Foundation for Online Responsibility (IFFOR). The registry is operated by ICM Registry LLC. The ICANN Board voted to approve the sTLD on 18 March 2011. It went into operation on 15 April 2011.
The TLD entered its sunrise period on 7 September 2011 at 16:00 UTC; the sunrise period ended 28 October 2011. Landrush period lasted from 8 November through 25 November, and general availability commenced on 6 December 2011.
== Background ==
A gTLD (generic top-level domain) for sexually explicit material was proposed as one tool for dealing with the conflict between those who wish to provide and access such material through the Internet, and those who wish to prevent access to it, either by children and adolescents, or by employees at their workplaces.
Advocates of the idea argue that it will be easier for parents and employers to block the entire TLD, rather than using more complex and error-prone content-based filtering, without imposing any restrictions on those who wish to access it. Editors of explicit content sites, however, were afraid that the use of a single TLD like .xxx would also make it easier for search engines to block all of their content.
Critics of the idea argue that because there is no requirement for providers of explicit content to use the TLD, sexually explicit material will still be commonplace in other domains, making it ineffectual at restricting access, and simply creating a new "landrush" as registrants of .com domains hosting explicit material attempt to duplicate their registrations in the .xxx domain, competing with operators who hope to register desirable names unavailable in other TLDs. There is also concern that the existence of .xxx will lead to legislation making its use mandatory for sexually explicit material, leading to legal conflicts over the definition of "sexually explicit", free speech rights, and jurisdiction.
There were also early indications that .xxx domain names will be registered not with the intent to focus on pornographic content, but to use the adult connotations as a benefit to a marketing strategy. An example is the registration of kite.xxx, which is aimed at the extreme sport of kitesurfing, thus benefiting from sexual connotations and innuendo for humor and promotional purposes. Another example of a .xxx domain name being registered without a focus on pornographic content was the registration of popebenedict.xxx, which contained pro-Islamic content despite being named after Pope Benedict XVI.
== Proposal by ICM Registry ==
The .XXX TLD was first proposed in 2000 by ICM Registry and resubmitted in 2004, but it faced strong opposition from politicians and conservative groups.
ICANN announced on 1 June 2005 a preliminary approval of .xxx as an sTLD similar to .aero, .travel, etc. ICM said it would charge $60/year for domains. In December 2005, discussions about the implementation of .xxx were taken off the agenda of ICANN Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), placing its future in doubt. In its March 2006 meeting, the GAC formulated a letter of concern to the ICANN board about .xxx. On 10 May 2006, ICANN reversed the approval. On 6 January 2007, ICANN put up for public comment a revised proposal following changes to the policy of the ICM registry including the policing of any site that signs up to use the .xxx registry. On 30 March 2007, the ICANN board again rejected the .xxx proposal for the third time.
On 6 June 2008, in accordance with ICANN bylaws, ICM filed an application with the International Centre for Dispute Resolution for an independent review challenging ICANN's decision. The filing became ICDR Case No. 50 117 T 00224 08, and in September 2009, a live hearing was held in Washington, DC, where both sides submitted documentary evidence and witness testimony. On 19 February 2010, the ICDR's independent review panel – consisting of Stephen M. Schwebel, Jan Paulsson and Dickran Tevrizian – issued its declaration. The panel found that the application for the ".XXX sTLD met the required sponsorship criteria", and that "the Board's reconsideration of that finding was not consistent with the application of neutral, objective and fair documented policy". At the ICANN meeting in Nairobi in March 2010 the board resolved to consider "process options". A 45-day public comment was opened on 26 March 2010. At the Brussels ICANN meeting in June 2010, the ICANN board resolved to restart the process, including renewed due diligence and GAC consultations.
On 18 March 2011, ICANN's board approved the execution of the registry agreement with ICM for the .xxx sponsored top level domain. The vote was nine in favor, four against, with three abstentions.
ICM is expected to make over $200 million a year, with 3 to 5 million domain registrations, as companies are anticipated to defensively register their domains.
== Opposition ==
=== Manwin suits ===
On 16 November 2011, Manwin International, a pornography company that operates a large number of popular adult websites including YouPorn, filed a request for a second ICANN Independent Review Proceeding. In the request, Manwin asks that the .xxx delegation be voided, or, if not, put up to competition on renewal.
On the same day Manwin, together with adult film studio Digital Playground, filed a suit in the Central District of California against ICM alleging antitrust and competition violations. Among the claims in the suit are that ICANN provided "no competitive process for the award of the .XXX registry contract" and that ICM CEO Stuart Lawley "has announced that he expects to be able (and intends) to prevent the establishment of any other (potentially competing) adult-content TLDs, including through a contractual promise by ICANN not to approve such TLDs".
On 14 August 2012, Judge Philip S. Gutierrez granted in part and denied in part ICANN's motion to dismiss Manwin's claims and allowed the case against ICANN to move forward. On 10 May 2013, the case was voluntarily dismissed by the parties, likely due to private settlement.
=== Free Speech Coalition ===
The Free Speech Coalition opposed the domain, arguing it would "harm the adult entertainment business" by inviting censorship and blocking, while raising money for ICM without considering the "best interests of the industry".
== Alternative implementations ==
Starting in 2005, there was an alternative implementation of .xxx by New.net, a private domain registration service unaffiliated with ICANN, via an alternative DNS root.
Another unofficial .xxx TLD was previously available through the alternative DNS root system administered by the now-defunct AlterNIC.
== References ==
Rhett Pardon (16 November 2011). "Manwin, Digital Playground File Suit Against ICM, ICANN". Xbiz. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
== External links ==
IANA: .xxx whois information
W3C: Why Using TLDs for Filtering is Ineffective, Harmful, and Unnecessary
ICANN: ICM v. ICANN
ICANN: 18 March 2011 Draft Rationale for Approving Registry Agreement with ICM's for .XXX sTLD
ICANN: Chronological History of ICM's Involvement with ICANN
Global Arbitration Review: Panel makes internet history
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