On August 24 the 30-day comment period opened for the proposed .XXX top-level domain. Until September 23, the public is invited to tell ICANN what they think. If you’re unfamiliar with the history and issues around .XXX, and the men who stand to profit from it (while exhibiting blatant disregard for the very serious problems it poses) please read Now Playing: .XXX. TLD Carpetbaggers Give New Meaning to “Drop and Snatch” (carnalnation.com).
After the jump you’ll find a sample email you can send to ICANN (with address).
In short, a few men with no ties to adult business or family groups have been trying for ten years to get ICANN to add .XXX to the selection of domain options — and they are already selling pre-registration at high prices. They scanned a list of rejected domain extensions and picked the one they could profit from the most. There has been no proof of support from any communities, despite their claims. Anti-porn organizations also oppose this. The men behind .XXX have continually skirted the issue that there is no single, universally accepted definition of adult content. There are huge security and global human rights concerns; meanwhile the men behind it are bragging to media about how much money they will make. (References.)
Please consider asking ICANN to make a responsible decision.
To: [email protected]
Subject: Do Not Approve .XXXDear ICANN,
This email is a comment in opposition to the Proposed Registry Agreement for the .XXX sTLD by ICM Registry. The .XXX sTLD should be rejected in finality for the following reasons:
* The .xxx TLD is opposed by every sector and community it affects. This includes people working in the adult entertainment industry (including Hustler, Vivid, Penthouse, XBIZ, porn’s Free Speech Coalition, and Adult Friend Finder), anti-porn family and religious organizations (including The Family Research Council), thought leaders in the technology sector, and the ACLU.
* Despite ICM’s constant assurances of various industry representation and support, there is no evidence of community support for .XXX.
* The .xxx TLD will do nothing to solve problems surrounding adult content, manage adult content or protect children from inappropriate content. The higher purposes of ICM’s proposal have been abandoned. (As of this email the page on ICM Registry’s website about “Promoting Online Responsibility” for .XXX is blank and reads “Information to follow” as does the page titled “Contracts, Policies and Bylaws.”)
* There has been absolutely no proof of an “unmet need” for the .XXX TLD.
* There is no concrete, agreed-upon definition of “adult content.”
* The ACLU expresses serious concerns about the implications of .XXX outside the U.S., where in some countries, regulations around .XXX would certainly be enforced punitively. To this effect, the .XXX TLD raises human rights concerns.
* .XXX makes no business sense except to profit from defensive registration (brand squatting).
* Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Mark Pryor (D-AR) have introduced legislation to make the use of .XXX compulsory for all web sites that are “harmful to minors.”
* .XXX raises serious issues around spurious and unsupported TLD’s in regard to the impact of ICANN on rulings on civil and human rights, and ICANN’s role in content-based discrimination.
In light of the above, I object to .XXX and urge ICANN to reject .XXX.
Regards,
General privacy FYI: your letter will be published on the ICANN forum here with the name on your email and the part of your email address redacted (looks like this: Violet Blue violet@xxxxxxxxxxx).
Thank you for sharing this. I had no idea of the 30-day comment period. .xxx will be nothing except problems.
Great summary and useful links to resources.
I’ve sent my email off already.
Amy
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