Saucy sites to get .xxx TLD

June 2005

Sex sites are to get their own .xxx domain creating a "virtual" red light district on the wibbly wobbly web.

Those behind the new top level domain (TLD) claim it will create a "clearly identifiable area of the internet that will empower families and help protect children and others from unwanted or inappropriate content".

Critics point out that the existence of this virtual red light district will do nothing to stop adult content from popping up elsewhere on the net.

But with a global adult industry worth an estimated $3bn and growing at a fair old lick this attempt at self-regulation is being touted as a way for pornographers to operate on the web.

Those in favour of the scheme say that the new .xxx domain - approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) - would be self-regulated by "responsible adult-entertainment website operators".