The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently approved the creation of an “.xxx” domain for all things porn.
Clearly a hot button issue, religious groups and pornographers alike have taken problem with the domain name, and the country of India has gone so far as to officially block any URLs ending in .xxx.
“India along with many other countries from the Middle East and Indonesia opposed the grant of the domain in the first place, and we would proceed to block the whole domain, as it goes against the IT Act and Indian laws,” said a senior official at the ministry of IT in an interview with the Economic Times.
“Though some people have said that segregation is better, and some countries allow it. But for other nations transmission and direct distribution of such content goes against their moral and culture.”
According to The Next Web and lawyer Vivek Sood, author of “The Fundamental Right to the Internet,” porn can still be hosted on .com and .in domains in India. Currently, the process for getting a .xxx domain is voluntary.
If a company does want a .xxx domain name, it will have to comply with certain standards: no kiddie porn, and promises to protect its consumers against malware, etc.
Also, the new domains will cost around $50 more per year than traditional domains. So really, what’s the benefit for the porn purveyors again?
Also, isn’t it strange that the main opposition is coming from the birthplace of the famed Kama Sutra? I mean, is access to porn really that bad?
(Via Huffington Post)
