ICM Blasted for Using Pre-reservation Numbers to Lobby .XXX

CANOGA PARK, Calif. — The Free Speech Coalition's executive director blasted ICM Registry President Stuart Lawley on Thursday, claiming he has broken his word over using pre-reservation numbers in his cause for lobbying .XXX.

Diane Duke told XBIZ that Lawley said he would not use pre-reservations as a sign of support when he spoke at the XBIZ Hollywood Conference in 2007.

"It seems as if he has gone back on his word," she said. "It costs nothing to preregister. The businesses I have spoken with state that they preregistered defensively and they oppose .XXX."

Lawley this week boasted he has more than 10,000 members of the sponsored online adult community who have applied to pre-register more than 187,000 domains ahead of its proposed launch sometime in the first three months of the new year.

He and ICM have been marketing the .XXX sTLD proposal at recent adult industry trade shows in Barcelona, Amsterdam, Berlin and Vienna.

Earlier this year, ICANN's Independent Review Panel issued a declaration in its review of ICM Registry's appeal, finding that the application for the .XXX sTLD met the required sponsorship criteria. In June, the ICANN board approved the proposal.

The FSC, which for years has been trying to shoot down the .XXX sTLD proposal, recently said that not only is the plan a liability for the adult entertainment industry, but it also is threat to the "stability and security of the Internet as a whole."

.XXX could get the final green light as early as next week at the ICANN board meeting in Cartagena, Colombia.

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

Proposed New Hampshire AV Bill Appears to Violate Constitution

A bill in the New Hampshire state legislature, aimed at requiring adult sites to age-verify users in that state, contains a provision that seemingly contradicts the Supremacy Clause in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution.

AEBN Publishes Report on Fetish Trends

AEBN has published a report on fetish categories from its straight and gay theaters.

Online Child Protection Hearing to Include Federal AV Bill

A House subcommittee will hold a hearing next week on a slate of bills aimed at protecting minors online, including the SCREEN Act, which would make site-based age verification of users seeking to access adult content federal law.

Industry Photographer, 'Payout' Founder Mike B Passes Away

Longtime industry photographer and publisher Michael Bartholomey, known widely as Mike B, passed away Saturday.

FSC Announces 2025 Board of Directors Election Nominees

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has announced the nominees for its 2025 Board of Directors election.

AdultHTML Launches Black Friday Web Design, Development Promo

AdultHTML has launched its annual Black Friday/Cyber Monday promo for web design and development, running through Dec. 5.

Canada Exempts Online Adult Content From 'CanCon' Quotas

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has updated its broadcasting regulatory policies, exempting streaming adult content from “made in Canada” requirements that apply to other online material.

Creator Law Firm 'OnlyFirm' Launches

Entertainment attorney Alex Lonstein has officially launched OnlyFirm.com for creators.

German Court Puts Pornhub, YouPorn 'Network Ban' on Hold

The Administrative Court of Düsseldorf has temporarily blocked the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia (LfM) from forcing telecom providers to cut off access to Aylo-owned adult sites Pornhub and YouPorn.

FSC: NC Law Invalidating Model Contracts Takes Effect December 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has issued a notice that North Carolina's Prevent Exploitation of Women and Minors Act goes into effect on December 1.

Show More