US Senators Propose “.xxx” Domain for Racy Websites

United States Senators Mark Pryor (Arkansas, Democrat) and Max Baucus (Montana, Democrat) have proposed a new top-level domain for sexually explicit or racy websites - and called to banish said content from established domains such as .com, .net, .org, .edu, .gov and others.

Pryor said he believes a separate domain on the Internet for pornography will help parents filter their children’s access to inappropriate materials. Pryor and Baucus’ legislation, the Cyber Safety for Kids Act, would require the Secretary of Commerce to negotiate with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to develop a special domain name for websites containing adult content. ICANN, an international Nongovernmental Organization, is charged with selecting domain names, such as .com, .org, .net., edu. and .gov. Under the legislation, companies that fail to register with the new domain within 6 months would be subject to civil penalties.

In the eyes of many, such a move would be a blatant attempt at crushing free expression on the Internet, and allow the US Government too much governing power over something as global as the Internet.  The issue is sure to raise a lot of eyebrows, a lot of questions, and a lot of heated emotional debate.  Where is the line to be drawn?  What is “too racy” for the existing top-level domains?  Anything with “adult content?”  Or just “porn company” sites?  It doesn’t sit very well, really.

Read More | Mark Pryor
Read More | Max Baucus