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.