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more on ICANN's "ex-ex-ex" domains and the slippery slope
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2005 15:41:04 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: Seth Finkelstein <sethf () sethf com> Date: June 2, 2005 3:03:48 PM EDT To: David Farber <dave () farber net> Cc: lauren () vortex comSubject: Re: [IP] more on ICANN's "ex-ex-ex" domains and the slippery slope
[For IP, if of interest] Dave - In order to get a good idea of what's behind this "domain pornography", I recommend reading the ICANN application text: Linkname: ICANN | .xxx New sTLD RFP Application URL: http://www.icann.org/tlds/stld-apps-19mar04/xxx.htm ".xxx CHARTER The .xxx TLD is intended primarily to serve the needs of the global online adult-entertainment community. ..." And here's the "money quote" (pun intended): "In terms of possible domain name related litigation, ICM and IFFOR believe that registrants may be better positioned to use an affirmative statutory defense in connection with prosecution under newly enacted US law. Under Section 108 of the Protect Act, entitled Misleading Domain Names on the Internet (aka Truth in Domain Names), it is now a crime in the US to knowingly use a domain name to deceive a person into viewing obscenity or to knowingly using a domain name todeceive a minor into viewing material that is harmful to minors. However,
Section 108 further provides that for the purposes of this section, a domain name that includes a word or words to indicate the sexual material on the site, such as `sex' or `porn', is not misleading." In short, it's apparently a way to extract rents from bona-fide pornographers in return for a weak certification against legislation. Not a bad business plan, since they managed to get ICANN on-board. --Seth Finkelstein Consulting Programmer sethf () sethf com http:// sethf.com
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- more on ICANN's "ex-ex-ex" domains and the slippery slope David Farber (Jun 02)