.XXX Domains Go Live Today; Universities Buy Up Porn URLs

Today at 11 a.m., the internet will be introduced to.xxx domains. More than 100,000 sites will go live today with the new.xxx domain. But they aren’t all porn sites. Small businesses, non-profit organizations, and universities have also purchased the adult URL.

CNN reports that several universities are trying to protect their good names against people who might try to capitalize off of a college.xxx domain name. Penn State, for example, which is currently embroiled in a child sex scandal, has purchased PennState.xxx, PSU.xxx, Nittanylions.xxx and Pennstateuniversity.xxx.

Michael Drucker, vice president and associate counsel for The Collegiate Licensing Company, told Penn State’s student newspaper:

“These domains are obviously going to be used with adult entertainment. Schools as well as other trademark owners have done so much to protect and promote their brand… They don’t want that brand to be associated with the adult entertainment business.”

PETA also purchased an.xxx domain. But PETA isn’t trying to protect its good name, PETA is trying to draw more attention to animal rights with their own porn site, peta.xxx.

The.XXX domain was approved as a “top-level domain” last year by ICANN. A statement on the ICANN website reads:

“The Internet is home to a wealth of content, suitable for a wide range of ages and values. The adult entertainment industry has, and always will, account for a large amount of this content and while it is enjoyed by some, it is not suitable, or of interest, to all Internet users… Regardless of your views on adult content, it’s here to stay, so let’s be adult about it.”

The.XXX domain was created to specifically designate a “red-light district” on the internet. CNN reports that the new domain will alert people about the type of site they are about to visit by the URL alone. The.XXX domain could also make computer’s safer, as they will be scanned daily for viruses. ICM Registry says that the.XXX domains will be among the safest destinations on the web.

Still, there are many people opposed to the new domain.

Patrick Trueman, CEO of Morality in Media and former chief of the U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, said:

“The establishment of a.xxx domain would increase, not decrease, the spread of pornography on the Internet, causing even more harm to children, families and communities.”

What do you think about the.xxx domains? Will they make the web a safer place? Or is pornography slowly taking over the world?