XXX Domain Goes Public With Flurry of Activity

Never forget Dec. 6, 2011, the day Internet porn changed forever.

On Tuesday morning, the .xxx domain became available to interested parties to give users a heads up about what type of content they'll find on the site. (Although, we imagine for many of the sites in question there may be a few hints in other parts of the addresses.) CNN reports that more than 100,000 .xxx-suffixed sites went live at or shortly after 11 a.m. on the East Coast.

The adult-themed .xxx was formally approved as a top-level domain last year by ICANN, the international nonprofit entity that governs addresses on the World Wide Web. The goal was to organize adult content under the domain, much like .gov, .edu, and .org does of other, less eye-catching topics.

Here's how ICM, the company responsible for handing out the new domain names, put it:

"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."

What does it all mean?

First, it means that it’ll be easier to block registered porn sites on the networks since many will now have the same suffix. The change will also reassure viewers that their next click will lead to pleasure, not pain in the form of masked viruses, phishing or other malware. Each .xxx will be scanned daily with McAfee protection tools, and ICM says the sites will be some of the safest online.

Some religious organizations, unsurprisingly, are pissed, saying it’ll lead to even more porn on the Internet (is that even possible?), irreparable harm to communities, irreversible damnation of souls, etc. Some porn giants are upset, too, because they think the suffix will eventually be mandated, whereupon they fear it would become too easy for governments to censor .xxx sites.

Hormonal teens, creepy co-workers, and owners of Internet porn caches the world over needn’t fret. The domain is simply an opt-in for now, and your tried and true .com sites aren’t going anywhere.

There’s a flurry of activity as organizations try to buy .xxx domains, if only so they can’t be used as porn sites. No one wants a repeat of WhiteHouse.com. CNN reports Penn State, a school that can't really handle any more bad press right now, went ahead and bought four .xxx domains—PennState, PSU, NittanyLions, and ThePennsylvaniaStateUniversity—out of an abundance of caution.

Go forth and conquer, and don’t forget to delete your history.