The PatrickPost

On Friday, ICANN (the organisation that assigns domain names) announced it has all but agreed to a new .XXX TLD (or domain ending) for adult-only websites.

While you might think that the adult industry would rush willingly into the arms of a new selling feature, it appears the leading (red) lights in the porn industry are anything but titillated. In an unlikely move, the New York Times reports that the porn industry is on the same side as religious organisations who are lobbying against the .XXX appellation, claiming it will add regulation and shove the porn industry to the sidelines of the internet.

In essence, the problem for that industry would be that .XXX websites would become easy to block, giving parents, idealists and others a ‘cleaner’ web experience.  Those who don’t like pornography could have a weblife free from it. Given that much of online porn is also plagued by credit card robbery, identity theft, and questionable ethics, enthusiasts are claiming that this is an opportunity to clean up the online industry.

More often than not, pornographers resort to ‘free speech’ and ‘censorship’ as keywords in their battle to remain afloat.  In fact it became clear during an interview I did last year for radio with a porn director, the online industry is inadvertently choking off the porn industry in the US.  The director claimed that there has been an explosion of free online content, meaning that adherents are less likely to pay for DVDs, magazines and other material, including protected (read: paid) online content.  That would mean that there is less and less ‘new’ pornographic material being generated.  For many, a good thing, for those involved in the industry (which is vast), a potential credit crunch in their economy.

The legitimate side of the industry fears that the creation of a .XXX domain will see increased marginalisation, and further reductions in their salaries. Really the question for them is a reduction in their slice of an enormously wealthy cake, if there is a proliferation of new names and content online.

However, it appears that newer players in the market are excited by the prospect.  Over 100,000 new domains have pre-registered for the domain ending, with over half a million expected in the coming year.  Those more established in the market will continue to use their dotcoms, but there is little doubt that they will also add the .XXX despite their protestations.

My opinion? I am not a judge on content online – it’s up to people what they want to watch or experience on the web.  However, as part of a large family with a lot of young children, I know my family would like if their kids were not exposed to pornography when undertaking the simplest of Google searches.  ‘Legitimate’ industry or not, online imagery is pervasive and persistent in exposing material not everyone needs to see.