Changes

Prior to the approval to the .xxx TLD, there was a good deal of opposition to the proposed namespace. Certain governments threatened to block the TLD wholesale, which some saw as one step closer to disrupting the global Internet; there were moral oppositions; but perhaps the most sustained opposition was led by the [[Free Speech Coalition]], an adult industry lobbying and advocacy group, and their Executive Director, [[Diane Duke]]. Much of the debate centered around the fact that ICM was applying for a [[Sponsored Top Level Domain]], which meant that there must be a cohesive, supportive community backing the bid. The Free Speech Coalition is the adult industry's largest trade organization, and was vehemently opposed to the creation of .xxx, which rose the question of whether or not ICM actually represented the community that it purported to. Multiple prominent adult industry members, such as Larry Flynt of Hustler, created a documentary together to expose their feelings of misrepresentation by ICM. Concerns included: increased expenses to business owners without additional revenue; the need to defensively register a .xxx address for an existing website; the effect of "ghettoizing" the industry, thereby pushing porn to the periphery of the Internet where it can be easily blocked, censored, and manipulated; and ICM causing outside influence on a community and misrepresenting the adult industry and their desires.<ref>[http://www.juliemeadows.com/blog/tag/diane-duke/ Diane Duke, JulieMeadows.com]</ref> These issues very much came to a head at [[ICANN 40]] in San Francisco: despite The Free Speech Coalitions staging protests and vocally participating at the event, ICM Registry went on to win approval from the [[ICANN Board]] to run a .xxx sTLD registry.

Prior to the approval to the .xxx TLD, there was a good deal of opposition to the proposed namespace. Certain governments threatened to block the TLD wholesale, which some saw as one step closer to disrupting the global Internet; there were moral oppositions; but perhaps the most sustained opposition was led by the [[Free Speech Coalition]], an adult industry lobbying and advocacy group, and their Executive Director, [[Diane Duke]]. Much of the debate centered around the fact that ICM was applying for a [[Sponsored Top Level Domain]], which meant that there must be a cohesive, supportive community backing the bid. The Free Speech Coalition is the adult industry's largest trade organization, and was vehemently opposed to the creation of .xxx, which rose the question of whether or not ICM actually represented the community that it purported to. Multiple prominent adult industry members, such as Larry Flynt of Hustler, created a documentary together to expose their feelings of misrepresentation by ICM. Concerns included: increased expenses to business owners without additional revenue; the need to defensively register a .xxx address for an existing website; the effect of "ghettoizing" the industry, thereby pushing porn to the periphery of the Internet where it can be easily blocked, censored, and manipulated; and ICM causing outside influence on a community and misrepresenting the adult industry and their desires.<ref>[http://www.juliemeadows.com/blog/tag/diane-duke/ Diane Duke, JulieMeadows.com]</ref> These issues very much came to a head at [[ICANN 40]] in San Francisco: despite The Free Speech Coalitions staging protests and vocally participating at the event, ICM Registry went on to win approval from the [[ICANN Board]] to run a .xxx sTLD registry.

In 2010, ICM CEO [[Stuart Lawley]] registered on the most popular adult industry forum, xbiz.net, and sustained a conversation with concerned community members for some time. While many points were discussed civilly, some members attacked Mr. Lawley personally, while others merely side-tracked the conversation. A screen-grab of the entire forum thread can be seen [http://www.freespeechcoalition.com/images/pdf/XBIZ.net%20Thread.pdf here]. [[Diane Duke]] and Stuart Lawley partook in a live debate on the merits and drawbacks of .xxx at the inaugural XBiz EU Summit, held in London in September, 2010. A video of the interaction can be seen [http://www.xbiz.com/blogs/139525 here].

In 2010, ICM CEO, [[Stuart Lawley]], registered on the most popular adult industry forum, xbiz.net, and sustained a conversation with concerned community members for some time. While many points were discussed civilly, some members attacked Mr. Lawley personally, while others merely side-tracked the conversation. A screen-grab of the entire forum thread can be seen [http://www.freespeechcoalition.com/images/pdf/XBIZ.net%20Thread.pdf here]. [[Diane Duke]] and Stuart Lawley partook in a live debate on the merits and drawbacks of .xxx at the inaugural XBiz EU Summit, held in London in September, 2010. A video of the interaction can be seen [http://www.xbiz.com/blogs/139525 here].

[[Manwin]], one of the most prominent adult content producers on the Internet, filed an Anti-Trust suit against both ICM and ICANN over the creation and implementation of the .xxx TLD. This legal action took place in November, 2011, well after the TLD's approval and just before its general availability.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2011/11/16/bbreaking-owner-of-youporn-com-plans-to-file-suit-against-icm-icann-over-xxx/ Owner of YouPorn.com Plans to File Suit Against ICM ICANN over XXX, TheDomains.com]</ref> It also filed an [[Independent Review Panel]] (IRP) Request with ICANN, making it only the second company ever to do so (the first being ICM Registry itself). Manwin felt that ICANN's decision to allow .xxx into the root did not “adequately address issues including competition, consumer protection, malicious abuse and rights protection prior to approving the .xxx TLD."<ref>[http://domainincite.com/youporn-challenges-new-gtlds-with-review-demand/ YouPorn Challenges New gTLDs with Review Demand, DomainIncite.com]</ref>

[[Manwin]], one of the most prominent adult content producers on the Internet, filed an Anti-Trust suit against both ICM and ICANN over the creation and implementation of the .xxx TLD. This legal action took place in November, 2011, well after the TLD's approval and just before its general availability.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2011/11/16/bbreaking-owner-of-youporn-com-plans-to-file-suit-against-icm-icann-over-xxx/ Owner of YouPorn.com Plans to File Suit Against ICM ICANN over XXX, TheDomains.com]</ref> It also filed an [[Independent Review Panel]] (IRP) Request with ICANN, making it only the second company ever to do so (the first being ICM Registry itself). Manwin felt that ICANN's decision to allow .xxx into the root did not “adequately address issues including competition, consumer protection, malicious abuse and rights protection prior to approving the .xxx TLD."<ref>[http://domainincite.com/youporn-challenges-new-gtlds-with-review-demand/ YouPorn Challenges New gTLDs with Review Demand, DomainIncite.com]</ref>