In an open letter sent out by Jerry Ander with Adult Entertainment Business Network (AEBN) today as follows:

A serious issue of concern has been brought to our attention which could have a significant negative impact on your business and ours. We feel that this issue is important enough to contact you and ask your assistance in this matter. From all of us at AEBN, we sincerely thank you for your consideration of this matter and your support of our attempts to fight the .xxx sTLD.

The Issue: Proposed .XXX sTLD
ICM Registry has applied for and upon denial has now petitioned ICANN (International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) for a “sponsored” Top-Level Domain (sTLD). This sTLD would be adult industry business only as opposed to a “general” Top Level Domain (gTLD) which anyone can obtain. This may seem attractive at first, BUT there are a number of reasons this could be harmful to our industry.

First, if a business doesn’t purchase the .XXX counterpart to their .com domain names they run the risk of losing traffic and facing brand confusion or domain squatters. Sixty dollars per year is not a big deal if a business wants to protect one domain name, but for those who own multiple domain names and operate multiple sites this is extremely costly. Another expense would be the cost of defending your domain name should someone else purchase it or having to pay a premium to a domain squatter. Second, the Free Speech Coalition has informed us that a bill has already been written by the United States Congress anticipating the approval of the .XXX sTLD and was to be introduced at the federal level mandating that adult businesses be relegated to ONLY a .XXX sTLD. Without a .XXX sTLD the US Government has no way to regulate the commercial speech of the adult entertainment industry in the internet. With a .XXX sTLD the US Government can effectively regulate the speech by using ‘internet zoning’ laws similar to the ones used to drive brick and mortar adult bookstores out of business. Granted, it would have been a long process before it made it to law (if ever), however, it is a compelling example of the significant potential for censorship with a .XXX sTLD.

Another difference between a sponsored TLD and a general TLD is that a sponsored TLD is accompanied by a policy-making entity. In the case of .XXX the policy making entity is IFFOR (International Foundation for Online Responsibility) and its very name insinuates the adult entertainment industry is irresponsible. The board of IFFOR will be selected by a nominating committee put in place by ICM, the entity that is petitioning for the sTLD. ICM is run by Stuart Lawley, a person without any ties to, or knowledge of, the adult industry. Many adult industry folks may remember Stuart from an XBiz conference 3 years ago where he looked down at the audience of adult industry professionals and proudly stated that he was NOT part of the adult entertainment industry. Moreover, Lawley has stated that he will use this TLD to clean up some of the business practices of our dirty little industry. Lawley knows nothing about the industry or the people in it yet, he will oversee the selection of a board to develop policy and regulate the .XXX sTLD. He could easily obtain a gTLD, but is only interested in the sTLD complete with his policy making entity.

In order to qualify for the.XXX sTLD, Mr Lawley has to have broad-based support from the sponsorship community which is the adult entertainment industry. We do not believe he has that support, yet he is telling ICANN that he does. ICANN is trying to determine how to proceed and has put the process up for public comment. It is imperative that the adult community tell ICANN that we do not support ICM’s .XXX sTLD.

How you can help
AEBN is asking all of its affiliates to submit a public comment. It is extremely easy and should take less than 2 minutes. Please follow the instructions below and submit your comment. The comment period closes May 10^th so please submit your comment today.

Thanks for your help!

Sincerely,

Jerry Anders on behalf of the entire AEBN Team

Here’s what you can do to help:

1. Go to: http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/#icm-options-report
2. Click on “Add a comment” in the bottom left of the screen (this should take you to an email with the recipient filled in, but if it does not, the email address is [email protected]).
3. Write “Choose option # 3″ or “Deny .XXX sTLD” or something similar in the subject line.
4. Cut and paste the Email Text below into the body of the email.
5. If you are comfortable, sign your name and company name for added emphasis.
6. Click “send” and pat yourself on the back for being part of a dynamic group working to defeat ICM’s .XXX sTLD.
7. Send this information to other industry professionals; we need everyone’s help!

Email Text:

As an affiliate program for the adult entertainment industry, my business’ foundation is internet based. If ICM’s application were granted and a .XXX sTLD were to be created it would negatively impact my business. Also it would put ICANN in the position of creating an entity to impose regulations and policy for the adult entertainment community-a situation that could easily stifle what is now a robust adult entertainment internet presence.

I do not support the creation of a .XXX sTLD and believe that the ICANN Board was well within its rights to deny ICM’s application in the 2007 Board meeting in Lisbon.

It is imperative that ICANN consider the widespread opposition from the adult entertainment community to a .XXX sTLD as it makes its decision. For that reason, I support Option # 3 of the March 26, 2010 process options submitted by ICANN for public comment.

If you wish to elaborate:

Feel free to elaborate, if you like. Please be reasonably courteous and businesslike, as this is an international policy forum.

For questions or for more information you may contact Diane Duke at: [email protected] and tell her you are an AEBN affiliate. She would be happy to provide more information about this very serious issue.

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