ICANN Drops .XXX From Upcoming Agenda

VANCOUVER — Controversial plans to create the Internet domain .XXX purely for pornography have been dropped just days before they were due to receive approval, according to ICM officials.

ICANN Chairman Vint Cerf said Wednesday that the issue had been removed from the agenda of the upcoming ICANN Board meeting due to time constraints. He did not indicate when it might be reintroduced.

The news reportedly surprised everyone including Stuart Lawley, chairman of .XXX's sponsoring organization, ICM Registry, which has spent millions of dollars pushing the bid this far. Lawley was scheduled to give a presentation regarding the proposed domain at the same meeting just minutes after Cerf's statement.

“We’re awaiting more information,” Lawley told XBiz. “We’re still in Vancouver, engaged in discussion with Governmental Advisory Committee members and ICANN officials and attempting to respond to issues.”

Lawley said he could not offer further comment on the issue, but speculation about the reasons for the abrupt change is reportedly brewing at the ICANN meeting in Vancouver, where some are claiming that EU Commissioner Viviane Reding personally ordered the domain’s removal from the agenda, though ICANN officials have denied they’ve been in communication with Reding.

Others are speculating that the campaign of U.S. Christian conservatives has won the ear of the Bush administration, which must approve all ICANN decisions.

Officials said the issue was dropped from the agenda in order to give GAC time to review a 350-page report by ICANN regarding .XXX, released week, though it’s been completed for more than two months. No timetable was given for the review. Approval of .XXX has already been delayed numerous times, including when Pope John Paul II died.

Ideally, .XXX is meant to provide an Internet area specifically for pornography that would be self-regulated. Only adult business owners would be allowed to apply for an .XXX domain, pay a premium and be expected to sign up using best practice rules and guidelines.

An independent panel of experts, including organizations concerned about pornography on the Internet, would be entitled to review the guidelines and find workable compromises.

For consumers, the new domain would present the advantage of keeping adult content separate from other Internet content. For companies producing adult content, advantages may include an increase in customers who feel more comfortable handing over credit card details to a regulated domain.

Critics claim the domain would not impact the amount of pornography on the Internet, without pressuring the adult industry to get rid of its existing dotcoms and other domains. Some are also claiming that there would be an implied approval of adult content if .XXX is approved.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Taylor Nicole Launches New Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Creator Taylor Nicole has launched her new official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Adult Networking Platform SpicyGigs.com Launches

SpicyGigs, a new adult industry networking platform, has officially launched.

Pineapple Support to Host 'Cream Pie Challenge' Fundraiser

Pineapple Support is hosting its Cream Pie Challenge through August to raise funds for mental health services for industry performers.

Kyrgyzstan President Signs Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday signed into law legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

NC Legislature Overrides Veto of Extreme Anti-Adult Industry Bill

The North Carolina state legislature on Tuesday voted to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of a bill imposing regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most creators and content.

Report: VPN Downloads Soar in UK Following Age Verification Deadline

Virtual private network apps, which can be used to circumvent geo-specific age verification requirements, are topping Apple App Store downloads in the U.K. in the wake of new Online Safety Act rules, the BBC is reporting.

Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta for Pirating Vixen Media Group Content to Train AI

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings filed suit in federal court this week, accusing Facebook parent company Meta of copyright infringement and alleging that Meta has extensively pirated VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Pineapple Support, Streamate to Host 'Navigating Grief and Loss' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Streamate are hosting a free online support group to help performers cope with grief and loss.

Friday is Final AV Compliance Deadline in UK

Friday, July 25 marks U.K. media regulator Ofcom’s deadline for user-to-user services such as tube, cam and fan sites to implement its requisite “highly effective age assurance” measures for preventing minors from viewing adult content.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for May, June

AEBN has released the top search terms for the months of May and June from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Show More