A SPECIAL domain for sex websites has bitten the dust at an international meeting in New Zealand today, with Australia, the US and the European Union moving to kill off a proposal for ICANN to create a ".xxx" domain for pornography.
Amid vociferous opposition, ICANN, the international body that is responsible for internet domain names, has been considering a proposal by US company ICM Registry for the new code.
But governments have been fighting a rearguard action to have the plan canned, with the US Department of Commerce and the European Commission writing to ICANN opposing the proposal.
Australia brought the issue to a head earlier this week with Communications Minister Helen Coonan saying she had "serious concerns" that the domain would legitimise illegal material.
ICANN's governmental advisory committee today put the nail in the coffin of .xxx, saying "several (governments) are emphatically opposed from a public policy perspective to the introduction of .xxx".
The grouping - which represents governments - said special protections for children and provisions to help law enforcement agencies identify the owners of web sites promised by the registry had not been included in its contract.
"In its application ... ICM Registry promised a range of public interest benefits as part of its bid to operate the .xxx domain," said GAC chairman Sharil Tarmizi, who represents the Malaysian Government. "To GAC's knowledge these undertakings have not yet been included as obligations in the proposed registry agreement negotiated with ICANN."
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