FSC Blasts ICM's Letter to ICANN

CANOGA PARK, Calif. — FSC Executive Director Diane Duke fired back at ICM's Stuart Lawley after he posted a response to FSC's letter it sent to ICANN this week.

“ICM’s attack on FSC seems disingenuous and a clear attempt to distract the ICANN Board from the real issues at hand and our request for transparency,” Duke told XBIZ.

ICM's letter claims that FSC’s comments “contain a variety of erroneous statements and repeated accusations that have been debated and refuted several times in the past seven years.”

Lawley says FSC’s letter addresses questions that have “been long asked and answered” by the board, that decided in Brussels that these issues shouldn’t be reopened.

“While the FSC is respected as a tireless supporter of First Amendment rights in the U.S., it is not and has never been “the” trade association for the global adult entertainment industry. The board is well aware of this, as it was a topic of discussion between Dr. Twomey and Ms. Duke in the public forum in Lisbon in 2007,” the letter said.

Lawley, in his response, examines the definition for a .XXX sponsored community, saying it hasn’t changed in the last seven years and has been defined as online adult entertainment and service providers, who have voluntarily determined that a system of self-identification would be beneficial.

The letter also addresses the materials posted specify “the IFFOR baseline policies in detail and articulate the processes by which additional policies and procedures will be developed by its Policy Council that includes elected representatives of the sponsored community and that contain extensive protections for minority interests.”

Lawley said these processes ensure that ICM Registry lives up to its committments to the sponsored community.

In discussing ICM’s pre-reservation service, Lawley said that “the assertion that webmasters were tricked into pre-reserving names by promises of any kind is completely unfounded. The pre-reservation service permits registrants to identify any names submitted as defensive registrations.”

Lawley also addressed that claim that there isn’t enough information about the .XXX sTLD.

“The notion that either ICANN or the public has insufficient information regarding the .XXX sTLD, ICM Registry, or IFFOR is patently absurd. Voluminous and detailed information has been made available to the public in the course of ICANN’s consideration of the sTLD.”

ICM’s letter can be found in the public comment area of ICANN’s website.

Related:  

Copyright © 2026 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

Elly Clutch, Girthmasterr to Host 2026 XMA Creator Awards

XBIZ is pleased to announce Elly Clutch and Girthmasterr as co-hosts of the 2026 XMA Creator Awards, presented by premium creator platform Fansly.

FSC: TAKE IT DOWN Act Provisions Take Effect May 19

The Free Speech Coalition has issued a reminder notice that the notice-and-removal requirements of the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act will go into effect on May 19.

Venus Berlin Joins ASACP as Media Sponsor

Venus Berlin has signed on as an in-kind media sponsor for the Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP).

XBIZ Miami's Host Hotel Sold Out; Additional Hotel Added

Guest rooms at XBIZ Miami’s exclusive conference venue, Goodtime Hotel in South Beach, are now completely sold out.

Penthouse Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of Penthouse World Media in a case against a website using an infringing domain.

'Collective Corruption' Relaunches Through PAYSITE

Fetish and BDSM membership site Collective Corruption has relaunched through PAYSITE.

RocketGate Taps Joël Drapeau for Senior Account Executive Role

Payment processing company RocketGate has hired industry veteran Joël Drapeau as its new account executive for business development and client relations.

VR Reloaded: Inside the Next Era of Immersive Adult Entertainment

For years, virtual reality in adult entertainment hovered somewhere between “quirky novelty” and “exciting promise of things to come.” While the technology hinted at a radically different way to experience erotic media, early experiments often required bulky headsets, complicated downloads, and production techniques that weren’t yet quite up to the task.

Pineapple Support Names Ocean Hanx Brand Ambassador

Pineapple Support has named creator Ocean Hanx as its newest brand ambassador.

Meta Restores Playboy Germany Facebook Page After Court Order

The Facebook page of Playboy Germany, the German-language edition of the magazine, is now back online after a two-month suspension by Meta, following an order by the Düsseldorf Regional Court.

Show More