The Internet is for porn, and if a controversial proposal gets backing, there could be a whole lot more of it coming soon.
The International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is mulling over the idea of creating a new domain for the scandalous sites, “.xxx,” to set them apart from less obscene content.
Like all things kinky, it’s been done before. ICANN announced in 2005 that the domain would be created but reversed the decision a year later and rejected it a third time in 2007.
ICANN is scheduled to take this most recent stance in June.
The idea is that parents, schools and employers could easily block adult content. The issue is that free-speech advocates fear such distinction could lead to censorship, as well as questions as to who decides what qualifies as obscene.
Professor David Carlson, executive director for the Center for Media Innovation and Research, said there is no way to tell whether the proposal will finally be implemented but guessed that it would be even more difficult to enforce.
“The Internet is unlike anything else ever known to man in that no one owns it, no one controls it,” Carlson said. “I don’t know whether (the proposal) would have the intended effect.”
Even more, Carlson admitted there isn’t much, if anything, that can be done to convert preexisting sites.
There would be nothing to keep porn “.com”ers from keeping the old sites running while simultaneously opening new venues with the “.xxx” domain. That double domain penetration coupled with new sites could result in a lot of sticky tissues, I mean issues.
Brian Greenfeild, a fourth-year biology major at UF, said he doesn’t think his porn consumption would be affected by the change but sees the use in it preventing youngsters from stumbling onto pornographic sites.
When asked about the electronic land-grab sure to follow, Greenfeild said he was all for it.
