.XXX proposal

["Matthew Porter" <matthew.porter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hurrah for ICANN in reconsidering the .XXX proposal.
 
May I also suggest that ICANN consider a .REL sTLD for religious websites,
in order to ensure that we police the hateful and discriminatory nature of
many religious zealots, the breeding ground of terrorism.  We need our
governments to control this area of speech also in order to ensure that we
are free to live without fear.
 
Also, a .VIO sTLD for violent content, to ensure that our children are not
exposed to the bloodshed and carnage seen currently in many films and online
websites.
 
While we're at it, let's create a .FRE sTLD to ensure that any "free speech"
is given a place also.  That way, we can also police free speech to ensure
that any policital dissidence or differences of opinion are kept under
control.
 
Give me a break.
 
ICANN - while this proposal suggests that .XXX is "voluntary", it is
unnecessarily endangering the rights and liberties of consenting adults by
treating everyone as though they were children by paving the way for a
mandatory alternative.  Shame on you all.  Have you no sense of liberty?
 
Please refer to the wonderful work being done by ASCAP, FSC and others using
the RTA (Restricted to Adults) and BPA (Best Practice in Adult) labelling.
Mandating (perhaps by way of a G8 treaty, or similar) the labelling of
content unsuitable for minors (defined as persons under the age of 18 years)
at national government level in countries in the treaty is a far better
alternative.  This would enable local governments to implement their laws as
they see fit, and ensure that concerned parents (who, by the way, should
educate their children on responsible choices, rather than "safe housing"
them) have yet another means of controlling content access.
 
The adult industry the world over has a solid track record of actively
working with government and police agencies to stamp out the terrible
actions of a very small minority (e.g. child pornography, deceptive
marketing practices).  Case in point - the track record of those recently
examined by the FBI under the 2257 legislation.  The vast majority of adult
content publishers are eager to ensure that children are protected from
inappropriate content, and their behaviour and responsible conduct in
compliance with the law demonstrates this.  There is no profit incentive in
exposing children to this material.
 
Give us our liberties, and respect our rights.  Leave your profit incentives
out of the free speech debate.  
 
It's plain to see that ICANN's greedy grab for additional Internet
real-estate is a worst-case scenario for freedom of speech, common decency
and liberty alike.
 
Matthew