CANOGA PARK, Calif.—Yesterday, Free Speech Coalition (FSC) Executive Director appeared live on CNN International to debate the newly-launched .XXX “sponsored” Top Level Domain with ICM Registry legal counsel Robert Corn-Revere.
While the segment aired live yesterday afternoon, CNN posted a video clip on the background of .XXX on its website. The topic, which has been very controversial among adult online industry business owners, has still received little coverage from the mainstream media.
“I made it clear that the only entities that would benefit from .XXX are ICM Registry, registrars and ICANN. The Internet community and the sponsorship community want no part of this,” Duke commented.
FSC has spearheaded the opposition to the .XXX domain, citing lack of support from the “sponsorship community,” as well as the unnecessary cost to adult online businesses that may purchase .XXX address in an attempt to protect their brands from cyber-squatters and domain resellers.
Potential censorship also is another pitfall for adult websites; less than five days after the domain’s approval by Internet regulator ICANN, India announced that it would block all .XXX addresses. Saudi Arabia soon followed suit. The domain is the first to categorize websites by content, setting a negative precedent for fragmentation of the Internet.
Ultimately, .XXX will make it easier for children to find adult content on the Web — though ICM Registry, the company profiting from the .XXX domain, claims that the new domain will somehow protect children from accessing online adult material.
“I pointed out that this was nothing but a money grab in the name of ‘child protection.’” Duke added. “I have nothing against businesses making money — in fact, I am in favor of capitalism—just not by forcing adult businesses to purchase something they don’t want simply in the name of child protection.”
FSC continues to oppose .XXX and encourages online adult business owners to avoid being trapped in the .XXX ghetto. For more information on .XXX, contact FSC at (818) 348-9373.
