.XXX domain is a bad idea

[Jeff Sela <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I am a programmer and web developer, with plans to launch an adult
website in the near future.

I think the .xxx TLD is a bad idea, for various reasons.  Most
importantly though, I can't see any reason FOR creating it.  Nobody will
benefit from this except the ICM registry, who will make a lot of money
without providing a useful service.

It has been suggested that this new domain will help users by giving
them a heads-up about what content to expect at a website with a
particular domain, or by making filtering easier.  Neither of these will
in fact be the case, because most adult-oriented content will still be
available on other domains as well as, or instead of, on .xxx domains.

This point has lead to a lot of confusion.  Most of the people
supporting the creation of the new TLD are under the impression that
existing websites on other domains will be moved to the new one, and
expect that it will aid in censorship by ghettoising adult content.
This is unlikely to happen, since there is no international consensus
about what kind of content is considered 'adult enough' to warrant such
special treatment, and there are legal obstacles in many countries to
making that a requirement.  Moving content would also impinge on the
permanence of URIs based on the existing TLDs, breaking user's
bookmarks, existing links, and long-used email addresses.  This is
clearly not acceptable.

Many conservative and anti-porn campaigners are against the new TLD on
the basis that it would promote adult-oriented content.  I think they're
wrong about that, but I don't think they would find anything positive in
the confusion .xxx domains would create.  It would give a false sense of
security to people hoping for a more 'family friendly' web.

Finally, the new TLD will incur an unnecessary cost on pornography
businesses by forcing them to register an additional domain, at much
greater expense than the older ones, simply to avoid domain squatters
diluting their brand.

In short, this new TLD would be of no benefit (and considerable cost) to
businesses publishing adult-oriented material.  It will be of no benefit
to people trying to prevent children seeing such material, or people
opposed to its publication in the first place.  It will create confusion
among the general public, who don't have a good understanding of domain
names as it is.  The only reason for licensing the creation of a .xxx
TLD is to create a profitable business for the ICM registry.

yours,
   Jeff Sela