Changes

==Registration Statistics==

==Registration Statistics==

In January, 2012, [[Afilias]], the technical back-end provider for .xxx, announced that the 3-month old [[.xxx]] extension had over 200,000 registrations. However, more than half of these were not signed into the [[Root Zone|root zone]], meaning that many of the registrations were [[Defensive Registration|defensive acquisitions]] by trademark owners, reserved names, or  pre-blocked domains by [[ICM Registry]] that will never be resolving domains.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/01/18/afilias-xxx-breaks-200k-domains-under-management-a-look-inside-the-numbers/ Afilias XXX 200k Domains Under Management a Look Inside the Numbers, TheDomains.com]</ref>

In January, 2012, [[Afilias]], the technical back-end provider for .xxx, announced that the 3-month old [[.xxx]] extension had over 200,000 registrations. However, more than half of these were not signed into the [[Root Zone|root zone]], meaning that many of the registrations were [[Defensive Registration|defensive acquisitions]] by trademark owners, reserved names, or  pre-blocked domains by [[ICM Registry]] that will never be resolving domains.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/01/18/afilias-xxx-breaks-200k-domains-under-management-a-look-inside-the-numbers/ Afilias XXX 200k Domains Under Management a Look Inside the Numbers, TheDomains.com]</ref> As of June 2, 2013, .xxx had 122,000 active registrations, after a peak at 142,000 in December 2012. During May 2013, [[ICM Registry]] cut the prices for .xxx names down to .com-level prices, resulting in a large number of registrations during that month.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/13245-icm-price-cut-sees-10-times-more-xxx-sales ICM Price Cut sees 10 times more xxx sales, Domain Incite] Retrieved 19 Sept 2013</ref>

==Marketing==

==Marketing==

At least one critic has labelled ICM Registry's business model, from the domain itself to its advertising, as an "intimidation TLD."<ref>[http://domainshane.com/xxx-sucks-what-is-the-next-indimidation-tld/ XXX .sucks What is the Next Intimidation TLD, DomainShane.com]</ref>

At least one critic has labelled ICM Registry's business model, from the domain itself to its advertising, as an "intimidation TLD."<ref>[http://domainshane.com/xxx-sucks-what-is-the-next-indimidation-tld/ XXX .sucks What is the Next Intimidation TLD, DomainShane.com]</ref>

In November, 2011, [[Manwin]] Licensing International filed a lawsuit in response to ICM Registry advertisements that used pressure tactics, such as running ads with wording like: ".XXX LANDRUSH IS NOW OPEN. PROTECT YOUR BRAND" or "SECURE YOUR DOMAIN. PROTECT YOUR REPUTATION."<ref>[http://www.techdirt.com/blog/?company=icm Blog, TechDirt.com]</ref>

In November 2011, [[Manwin]] Licensing International filed a lawsuit in response to ICM Registry advertisements that used pressure tactics, such as running ads with wording like: ".XXX LANDRUSH IS NOW OPEN. PROTECT YOUR BRAND" or "SECURE YOUR DOMAIN. PROTECT YOUR REPUTATION."<ref>[http://www.techdirt.com/blog/?company=icm Blog, TechDirt.com]</ref>

 

In May 2013, a settlement was reached between Manwin Licensing and ICM Registry, in which ICM registry agreed to significant financial concessions in order to settle the case. ICM agreed to donate $2 for every .xxx domain created into "a fund designated by Manwin to support the adult entertainment industry".<ref>[http://domainincite.com/12846-youporn-spanks-icm-as-xxx-prices-slashed YouPorn spanks ICM as xxx prices slashed] Domainincite, published May 1 2013; retrieved December 3rd 2014.</ref> ICM indicated it will offer price reductions in the future, although it is not clear whether or to what degree this is due to the settlement.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/12846-youporn-spanks-icm-as-xxx-prices-slashed YouPorn spanks ICM as xxx prices slashed] Domainincite, published May 1 2013; retrieved December 3rd 2014.</ref>

===Search.xxx===

===Search.xxx===

In the first 24 hours of general availability, ICM sold 55,367 domains. Counting the landrush and sunrise periods, the first day of general availability brought the total of domains sold to about 160,000.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2011/12/07/icm-xxx-1st-24-hours-of-ga-56000-registrations-a-total-of-160k-domain-names-registered/ ICM xxx 1st 34 hours of GA 56000 registrations, TheDomains.com]</ref> It was estimated that on its first day, ICM brought in $3.3 million in revenue, with over half a million of that to be given to [[IFFOR|International Fund For Online Responsibility]] (IFFOR).<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2011/12/07/55367-xxx-domain-names-registered-in-first-24-hours/ 55367 xxx domain names registered in first 24 hours, DomainNameWire.com]</ref> On December 16, it was brought to light that only approximately 95,000 domain names existed in the .xxx root zone. Roughly 84,000 of the domains were defensive registrations, and 14,400 were registered by the adult entertainment community. Of this, 3,200 were parked at [[Domain Control]], and approximately 4,000 were parked at  various other parking services. Thus, half of the community registrations were parked or for sale.<ref>[http://jl.ly/ICANN/xxxzone.html John R. Levine, Who's registering .XXX domains]</ref>

In the first 24 hours of general availability, ICM sold 55,367 domains. Counting the landrush and sunrise periods, the first day of general availability brought the total of domains sold to about 160,000.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2011/12/07/icm-xxx-1st-24-hours-of-ga-56000-registrations-a-total-of-160k-domain-names-registered/ ICM xxx 1st 34 hours of GA 56000 registrations, TheDomains.com]</ref> It was estimated that on its first day, ICM brought in $3.3 million in revenue, with over half a million of that to be given to [[IFFOR|International Fund For Online Responsibility]] (IFFOR).<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2011/12/07/55367-xxx-domain-names-registered-in-first-24-hours/ 55367 xxx domain names registered in first 24 hours, DomainNameWire.com]</ref> On December 16, it was brought to light that only approximately 95,000 domain names existed in the .xxx root zone. Roughly 84,000 of the domains were defensive registrations, and 14,400 were registered by the adult entertainment community. Of this, 3,200 were parked at [[Domain Control]], and approximately 4,000 were parked at  various other parking services. Thus, half of the community registrations were parked or for sale.<ref>[http://jl.ly/ICANN/xxxzone.html John R. Levine, Who's registering .XXX domains]</ref>

==Notable Deals==

==Notable Deals==

In August, 2012, a mixed ruling by the Central District of California District Court accepted only 2 out of ICANN and ICM's 7 motions to dismiss. The court ruled that ICANN would be subject to anti-trust law, as ICM pays fees to them in order to be permitted to run the .xxx domain space, and that the trial would proceed with focus on the "defensive registrations" market.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/10149-court-rules-youporn-can-sue-icann-for-alleged-xxx-antitrust-violations Court rules YouPorn can sue ICANN for alleged .xxx antitrust violations, domainincite.com]</ref> Later that month, ICM Registry hired a new team of lawyers to handle the antitrust lawsuit. Gordon & Rees senior partner Richard Sybert took over as lead counsel for the case, replacing [[Becky Burr]] from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, as she left her position at the firm. The team also included veteran domain industry lawyer [[Bret Fausett]], who represented the Coalition For ICANN Transparency in its antitrust case against ICANN and Verisign. The results of this suit set a precedent for Manwin's case against ICANN and ICM.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/10279-icm-hires-fausett-to-help-with-youporn-antitrust-case ICM hires Fausett to help with YouPorn antitrust case, domainincite.com]</ref>

In August, 2012, a mixed ruling by the Central District of California District Court accepted only 2 out of ICANN and ICM's 7 motions to dismiss. The court ruled that ICANN would be subject to anti-trust law, as ICM pays fees to them in order to be permitted to run the .xxx domain space, and that the trial would proceed with focus on the "defensive registrations" market.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/10149-court-rules-youporn-can-sue-icann-for-alleged-xxx-antitrust-violations Court rules YouPorn can sue ICANN for alleged .xxx antitrust violations, domainincite.com]</ref> Later that month, ICM Registry hired a new team of lawyers to handle the antitrust lawsuit. Gordon & Rees senior partner Richard Sybert took over as lead counsel for the case, replacing [[Becky Burr]] from Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, as she left her position at the firm. The team also included veteran domain industry lawyer [[Bret Fausett]], who represented the Coalition For ICANN Transparency in its antitrust case against ICANN and Verisign. The results of this suit set a precedent for Manwin's case against ICANN and ICM.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/10279-icm-hires-fausett-to-help-with-youporn-antitrust-case ICM hires Fausett to help with YouPorn antitrust case, domainincite.com]</ref>

In October, 2012, ICM filed a counter-suit against Manwin. The company alleged that Manwin has cost them at least $120 million in damages by using its adult industry market power to convince other companies not to do business with the .xxx TLD.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/10653-icm-files-120m-lawsuit-over-manwins-xxx-boycott ICM files $120m lawsuit over Manwin’s .xxx “boycott”, domainincite.com]</ref>

In October, 2012, ICM filed a counter-suit against Manwin. The company alleged that Manwin has cost them at least $120 million in damages by using its adult industry market power to convince other companies not to do business with the .xxx TLD.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/10653-icm-files-120m-lawsuit-over-manwins-xxx-boycott ICM files $120m lawsuit over Manwin’s .xxx “boycott”, domainincite.com]</ref>  ICM's counter-suit was later thrown out of court; the judge stated, "“Harm to ICM only is not sufficient to constitute antitrust injury. It must allege harm to the competitive process.” ICM can redraft its claims to be resubmitted to the court.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/12011-icms-claims-against-manwin-thrown-out-of-court ICMs Claims Against Manwin Thrown Out of Court, DomainIncite.com] Retreived 28 Feb 2013</ref>

==Applications for .adult, .porn, and .sex TLDs==

==Applications for .adult, .porn, and .sex TLDs==

== References ==

== References ==

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== External links ==

== External links ==