Raunchy .XXX Debuts Online

First .xxx sites spring up despite porn purveyors' objections
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 19, 2011 2:23 AM CDT
Raunchy .XXX Debuts Online
Picketers supporting the adult entertainment industry protest outside the annual meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers last month.   (AP Photo)

The Internet's "red light district" has gone live, with the first sites using the .xxx domain name suffix making their debut. ICM Registry, the company tasked with running the new domain, says .xxx will only be available to the adult industry. For now, however, new sites like porn.xxx, sex.xxx, and xxx.xxx aren't offering anything too racy: They're being used to push sales of other .xxx domain names, the Telegraph notes.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers green-lighted the new triple-x suffix last month, despite opposition from the porn industry, which fears it will make things a lot easier for heavy-handed censors. ICM says the new suffix will provide "greater confidence and certainty" for users. "For individuals or families wishing to avoid adult content, the machine-readable labels will allow easy and reliable filtering. No need to fiddle with keywords or expensive software," the company announced. (More .xxx stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X