.xxx

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has rejected again the implementation of a .xxx domain suffix for sexually-explicit websites.

ICANN on Friday voted 9-5 to deny an application from ICM Registry, which for the past several years has sought to be the registry for adult content Web sites.

ICANN, which oversees domain names and Internet addresses, decided that ICM's proposal raised too many public policy concerns and ultimately could change the role of the nonprofit organization.

"ICM's response does not address (ICANN's government advisory committee's) concern for offensive content, and similarly avoids the GAC's concern for the protection of vulnerable members of the community," ICANN stated in the meeting. "The board does not believe these public policy concerns can be credibly resolved with the mechanisms proposed by the applicant."

ICANN also noted that ICM's proposal could raise significant compliance issues with law enforcement agencies around the globe, many of which have different laws governing pornography.

"There are credible scenarios that lead to circumstances in which ICANN would be forced to assume an ongoing management and oversight role regarding Internet content, which is inconsistent with its technical mandate," ICANN stated in the meeting.

Beyond ICANN's concern about having to police content on the Internet, a .xxx domain suffix would be of questionable value in the first place.

Certainly, many sexually-explicit websites would adopt .xxx, but it is unlikely that they would be the only ones. Millions of websites would conceivably register .xxx names for their sites for no other reason than to boost their search profiles and, by extension, their site traffic.