.porn

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Status:	proposed
country:	International
Manager:	ICM Registry
Type:	Community gTLD
Category:	Industry
Community:	Adult Entertainment Community
Priority #:	1427 - ICM Registry
Key People
Stuart Lawley, CEO

.porn is one of the proposed new generic top level domain name (gTLD) of ICM Registry under ICANN's new gTLD expansion program. The domain name string is dedicated for the use of the adult entertainment community. According to Stuart Lawley, CEO of ICM Registry, if the .porn gTLD will be approved all domain names registered under the .xxx gTLD will be grandfathered and the matching names will be automatically reserved under .porn gTLD without cost to the registrants. However, if registrants decide to activate and use the reserved .porn domain names, a nominal fee will be charged.

Controversy & Objections

Christian group Morality In Media launched a letter-writing campaign in July 2012 against ICM's three new TLD applications, .adult, .sex, and .porn. The group also protested against .xxx, ICM's original TLD. The group claims that its prediction about .xxx, that it would create more porn and not less, has been vindicated, as porn sites under the .com TLD have not moved to .xxx, and additional new sites have been created under the .xxx extension. With its campaign, MIM asked the U. S. Government and Congress and ICANN to take action against the spread of porn under the Internet by not allowing the three new TLDs into the root zone.

Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) filed an objection against the TLD.

Independent Objector

The Independent Objector is responsible for determining if a new gTLD application is in the best interest of the Internet community. If not, he or she will file formal objections against a new gTLD application. Alain Pellet, a law professor from the University of Paris and a former member of the United Nations International Law Commission and International Court of Justice, was chosen by ICANN to serve as the sole independent objector for the New gTLD Program in May, 2012. The position was created by ICANN in accordance with the implementation of the New gTLD Program. As defined, the IO may be an individual or organization and must not be affiliated with any applicant and must carry out their responsibility without bias.

In December 2012 Mr. Pellet released his first correspondence on actual TLDs, commenting on so-called "Controversial strings". Those strings include: .adult, .sex, .porn, .sexy, .hot, .gay, .lgbt, .persiangulf, .vodka, and .wtf. A string seemed to have been deemed "controversial" by Mr. Pellet if it received a substantial amount of objections during the public comment period. He addresses each TLD separately and at length, noting the objection, and turning to International law and precedent to determine whether an objection from his point of view, of defending the public interest, is warranted. In each case he concludes that the objections are not supported by international law and that regional, cultural, and personal issues influence the objections rather than broadly accepted treaties, laws, or international cultural trends. He has reserved the right to later object to the strings, but at that time it was deemed that the "controversial strings" are in fact not offensive to the greater public interest and Internet users.

With regards to .porn, and the other sex related applications, the Independent Objector notes that most all objections raise concerns about greater space created for pornographic material, and cite moral, religious, or cultural issues with this fact. Mr. Pellet notes that there is no singular international consensus on the morality of pornographic material and it is one decided by local governments with regards to domestic perceptions and cultural and moral norms. He goes on to note that the creation of a .adult TLD could have the effect of clearly labeling pornographic material, thereby making it easier for offended people to avoid or block such content. He notes that the only widely accepted international norm and treaties on the matter that overlap specifically address the harm or exploitation of children, including with regards to sexual or pornographic scenarios. However, he notes that there is no reason to believe that the creation of a .adult TLD will make it easier to disseminate material that offends in this regard, and it could even prove to more closely regulate pornography and potentially offensive material.