Most likely you are aware of, and gravely concerned about, the renewed interest in creating a .XXX TDL. Last May, FSC successfully opposed an attempt by Stuart Lawley, and his company ICM, to have .XXX accepted and implemented by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). Mr. Lawley and his company stand to make millions from this deal?at the expense of the adult entertainment industry.
.XXX is a very bad idea because:
? It ?ghettoizes? the industry, making adult entertainment an easy target for anti-industry extremists and government intrusion.
? It will add, unnecessarily, to the cost of doing business. At $60 per URL per year, the cost to a member could reach tens of thousands of dollars annually. Many in the adult entertainment industry will purchase and park addresses, realizing no benefit to this added expense. Finally, there will be countless battles for names, and the resulting arbitration will be costly.
? If a .XXX domain becomes available, it is likely that the United States and other countries will try to make it mandatory and subject to trans-Internet filtering that could effectively eliminate much of the adult content currently available on the Web.
? The .XXX option could enable the industry?s enemies to convert even a voluntary .XXX domain use into an effectively mandatory requirement by pressuring private parties, such as credit card processors, to require .XXX use and compliance. In this way, ICM through unchecked rule-making could ?back door? all the governmental regulations that we have beaten back. If that happens the industry would not have its most potent weapon, the First Amendment to challenge ICM because ICM is not a governmental entity.
? The ambiguity with which ICM plans to establish its governing board is of grave concern as there exists strong potential for censorship, which is clearly not in the best interest of the industry or for ICANN.
At ICANN?s last meeting, a number of board members expressed concern that .XXX did not the have support of the adult entertainment industry, this after public input submitted prior to that meeting and word of a contentious panel discussion which included Lawley at an XBIZ conference. Previously, the board relied solely on Lawley?s assurance that he had the industry?s support.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
1. It is imperative that ICANN hear from the industry in a BIG way! Please send an e-mail to ICANN and simply state ?I am in the adult entertainment industry and I oppose .XXX?. If you are a webmaster, state that you are a webmaster in your e-mail as well as how many websites you manage.
E-mail your comments to:
[email protected]. Public comments can be viewed at:
http://forum.icann.org/lists/xxx-icm-agreement/. Comments received on or before March 9, 2007 will be considered at the next scheduled Special Meeting of the ICANN Board.
2. FSC plans to send Executive Director Diane Duke and Board Chair Jeffrey Douglas to the next ICANN meeting in Lisbon, Portugal during the last week of March to ensure that the adult entertainment industry is represented. In order to help cover our costs in fighting this .XXX battle, we ask our members to contribute $60?the cost of the URL of one website for one year?to the Free Speech Coalition. Checks can be sent to the Free Speech Coalition PO Box 10480 Canoga Park, CA 91309. If you prefer to put your donation on a credit card,
contact Diane Duke at (818) 304-1712.
During February?s XBIZ Conference panel discussion, Stuart Lawley said, ?I have never, nor will I ever be, a part of the adult entertainment industry.? Together, we will make sure that Stuart Lawley does not line his pockets?at our expense. Time is of the essence, please, contact ICANN with your statement in opposition to .XXX and send your donation to the Free Speech Coalition today.
