ICM Publishes Open Letter to ICANN, Internet Community

PALM BEACH, Fla. — ICM has published an open letter to ICANN and the Internet community in its ongoing effort to lobby ICANN to approve the .XXX sTLD.

The letter says that ICM is disappointed and dismayed that ICANN staff would contemplate disregarding the findings of the independent panel and says that is exactly what two of the three process options put forward by ICANN staff would do.

The review panel found that ICANN’s handling of ICM’s application violated ICANN’s Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation.

In March, FSC’s Diane Duke wrote to ICANN expressing their outrage at the prospect of a .XXX top level domain, saying “the adult industry not only opposes the ICM Registry application, but also believes that such a TLD would be detrimental to the industry as a whole.”

Recently, FSC submitted its comment to ICANN in support of option No. 3. FSC also agreed with the dissenting opinion of ICANN's Independent Review Panel (IRP) in that ICM "never satisfied the sponsorship requirements and criteria for a sponsored TLD." FSC also supports the opinion that "the (ICANN) Board denied ICM's application for the .XXX sTLD on the merits in an open and transparent forum."

The ICM letter continues, “the panel did find that its declaration was not binding on the ICANN Board but we expected that ICANN would respect the views of the Panel and honor, in ICANN's own words, its ‘ultimate’ accountability mechanism. It is profoundly disappointing then that the options paper, which was produced by the same team whose arguments were dismissed by the IRP, effectively ignores every other aspect of the panel's declaration.”

ICM adds that independent experts confirmed that ICANN Board’s decision to reject .XXX in 2007 was the product of bad advice and urges the Board to be cautious about following the advice it has received in regards to the three process options that disregard the panel’s conclusions.

“Neither the ICANN Board nor the ICANN community is well served by this approach. What's more, it is costing ICANN, ICM and the Internet community millions of dollars to continue down this path.”

The public comment period runs through May 10.

Related:  

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

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More