WebProNews

Tag: ICM

  • .XXX Domain Purchases Begin, Calling It a Landrush

    There has been a long running debate, and legal battle over whether or not .xxx domains should be allowed to exist. ICM, presented their idea of .xxx and .kids domains to ICANN back in 2000. Various proposals would be submitted throughout the years, none of which would be accepted until March 31st this year.

    Now, you can put a claim into a .xxx domain, so long as you’re a member of the adult sponsored community. ICM is handling the process in various phases. Their “Sunrise A” and “Sunrise B” phases allowed trademarked companies to apply for the domains; reversely, companies were allowed to prevent their company from appearing on .xxx addresses as well.

    As of November 8th, we’re now in the “Landrush” phase. Meaning, there are no trademark or pre-ownership rights requirements. Beyond being a member of the adult entertainment community, all bets are off. The Landrush phase will last until November 25th. Afterwards, on December 6th, the domain will be available to the general public.

    XXX Domain Landrush

    The argument over the domain generally concerns the reasons behind its need. Many believe providing pornographic sites the option to have a .xxx domain, will provide internet users a distinct signal that there is adult material on the site. Others believe the domain won’t act as that great of a filter, specifically within search engines.

    The real question is whether or not .xxx is a top-level domain which can actually take off and make a dent. Most top-level domains never gain the traction to necessitate use. Why use .me when .com has better credence?

    According to a recent press release, over 80,000 applications for .xxx domain names were received. That’s just during the Sunrise phases, so the number is expected to exponentially increase going into Landrush.

    Stuart Lawley, CEO of ICM Registry, said this of the numbers, “We couldn’t be happier about the success of the Sunrise period. There is always a risk with a new TLD that you may build it and nobody will come. We are thrilled that over 80,000 applications came! In fact, the .XXX Sunrise period results far exceeds those of any other new sTLD, including .mobi, .asia and even that of .co that re-launched last year with a significant marketing campaign. We look forward with great anticipation to Landrush, opening next week and General Availability on December 6, which is when the fun really starts.”

    All of the domain registration companies are accepting .xxx domains at this time: GoDaddy, name.com, register.com, and more.

    It will be interesting to see what impact .XXX will have in the world of top-level domains. Will pornographic sites start to shift to the domain, simply for the prospect of having the “xxx” on the end? Will search engines tweak their results to compensate for the domain inclusion?

  • New .XXX Porn Sites To Get Their Own Search Engine

    A few months ago, before the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) voted to allow people to register any domain they like, they made news by approving the .XXX top-level domain.

    In a split vote, the ICANN voted to give porn sites a new home on the web. .XXX saw a long and hard battle to become a reality. It was first proposed in 2000, resubmitted in 2004, approved and then rejected in 2006, looked over in 2007 and finally approved in 2010. With each proposal, .XXX was met with opposition from conservative groups like the Family Research Council. Initially, the porn industry opposed the new domain as well, saying that it would put their industry at risk for regulation and censorship.

    The initial proposition for the .XXX domain was made by ICM Registry, a registry operator sponsored by the International Foundation for Online Responsibility. When the .XXX domain was finally approved this year, ICM won the opportunity to manage it.

    The new domain will be available starting on September 7th. They will cost roughly $75 a year, a rate much higher than most .com domains. It has been reported that during the initial registering period, the .XXX domains will cost much more, however, possibly even $650.

    Now, according to the Register, .XXX sites will be getting their own search engine.

    They talked to ICM Registry President Stuart Lawley who confirmed that the new destination, search.XXX, will index all of the porn found at .XXX addresses. Initially, the search engine will draw from about a dozen “premium” .XXX sites. It will be aided by ads and sponsorship, according to Lawley.

    Of course, major search engines like Google and Bing will also index the new .xxx sites, but history has shown us that porn and Google isn’t always a match made in heaven.

    Here’s what ICM has to say about the benefits of the .XXX domains –

    As a trusted brand, customer confidence will be very high resulting in more traffic, greater repeat traffic, and, perhaps most importantly, greater conversion into paying customers. Holders of .XXX domains will also benefit from global marketing campaigns and greater awareness in the mainstream world. Additionally ICM is developing a traffic generation search portal for .XXX sites that will be promoted internationally leading to immediate new traffic to .XXX domains for new registrants.

    The adult industry isn’t convinced. According to the Register –

    Existing porn companies with large portfolios of domains in other extensions are concerned that they will be forced to spend thousands on defensive registrations or risk being cybersquatted.

    Some porn publishers are also worried that .xxx domains carry the risk that ICM’s policy-setting body, IFFOR (International Foundation for Online Responsibility) may create draconian new rules that will damage their businesses in future.

    ICM Registry is now in the process of finding “technology partners” for its upcoming search engine.