X-TREME Backlash - 'Net Briefs

Early September saw the official release of the new .XXX top-level domain names, which are intended for the Internet’s highly lucrative adult entertainment industry, but major porn players don’t like it. These site owners are unhappy with the idea of paying for a new TLD, at a minimum fee of $60, no less, to protect brand names they have already established with .com addresses. As one porn executive put it, “Why would I want to put $60 in ICM’s pocket? To protect my brand? That’s extortion.” However, ICM Registry, the company behind the launch, encourages buying a .XXX domain as a “seal of approval” for adult sites.