March 30, 2007 — (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (icann.org) announced on Friday it has rejected for the third time the creation of a “.xxx” top-level domain. The organization again voted against the proposal, which many see as a method of distinguishing adult content on the internet.
Nine ICANN board members voted against the proposal compared to the five who voted in favor, Friday at the group’s 28th International Public Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, says an ICANN spokesman. One member abstained from voting.
Rejectors of the “.xxx” top-level domain said its creation could set ICANN up as a potential regulator of adult content on the Internet, which is not part of its mandate. ICANN is solely responsible for the administration of the DNS.
In May 2006, ICANN first rejected creating the .xxx domain. And though many argue that the domain name could make adult content easier to find, others say it would also make it easier to filter out with software. Concerns over free speech and how content on a Web site may be classified were also raised.
