NEW YORK – The United States Commerce Department on Thursday reasserted its veto power over all internet domain name extensions approved by ICANN, and therefore has the authority to reject the dot-xxx domain name extension should ICANN attempt to put it into play later this year, YNOT has learned.According to an Associated Press report, the United States Commerce Department has reversed course over previous promises to eventually relinquish authority over computers that control traffic on the internet, and now claims it will maintain control over the computers and the master list of top-level domain name extensions for the indefinite future.
“It’s completely an about-face if you consider the original commitment made when ICANN was created,” said Milton Mueller, a Syracuse University professor.
The internet relies on 13 “root servers” that contain approximately 260 government-approved domain name extensions. In 1998, ICANN was granted authority by the Commerce Department to oversee which domain name extensions would be added to the master list on these root servers. The Commerce Department, however, maintained veto power over the list. At the time, the Commerce Department hinted that it would eventually step back and relinquish its veto power if ICANN met certain performance requirements. On Thursday, the Commerce Department backtracked and issued its declaration asserting its continuing control over the master TLD list into the indefinite future, even though it also expressed support for ICANN in general.
“The signals and words and intentions and policies need to be clear so all of us benefiting in the world from the internet and in the U.S. economy can have confidence there will be continued stewardship,” said Michael Gallagher, assistant secretary for communications and information at the Commerce Department.
He added that the Commerce Department’s declaration on Thursday was “the foundation of U.S. policy going forward.”
The declaration means that any dot-xxx domain name extension approved by ICANN would be subject to veto by the United States Commerce Department.
The dot-xxx domain name proposal has generated widespread opposition from the adult industry, civil liberties groups, privacy advocates, and family advocate groups. The Free Speech Coalition has announced that it opposes the dot-xxx domain name extension due to First Amendment concerns. Some critics have questioned why ICANN would approve a domain name extension for adult content when the alternative, a dot-kids TLD, would be a more effective means for keeping children away from inappropriate content online.
The XXX domain name extension is being pushed by ICM Registry, a private company that hopes to win ICANN approval over the adults-only TLD. ICM Registry has admitted to paying for the services of people within the adult internet industry to drum up industry support for dot-xxx. Last month, ICANN announced that it had tentatively agreed to approve the TLD and would enter into negotiations with ICM Registry for its implementation. Under the current schedule, dot-xxx would become a reality sometime near the end of the year.
According to statements attributed to ICM Registry representatives, registration of a dot-xxx domain name would run somewhere between $60 and $75 per domain.
Additionally, an organization called IFFOR would set policy decisions over dot-xxx domain names. IFFOR could determine, for example, who could register a dot-xxx domain name and what requirements that party would have to meet to keep their domain name. That means people from outside the adult industry could decide how dot-xxx domain names could be used, and child advocacy groups are expected to hold seats on the IFFOR board.
Although ICM Registry claims that dot-xxx domain name extensions would be voluntary, the dot-xxx domain proposal has stirred concerns of censorship. Several Congressmen, including Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) have called for mandatory dot-xxx laws. Sen. Lieberman has said that XXX domain names are necessary to force webmasters to “abide by the same standard as the proprietor of an X-rated movie theater.” Rep. Upton said at a hearing that dot-xxx domains should be approved “as a means of protecting our kids from the awful, awful filth, which is sometimes widespread on the Internet.”
If dot-xxx domain names were voluntary, however, they would do little to protect children from accessing adult content online, as most webmasters would be expected to keep their dot-com domain names.
While some have argued that a dot-xxx TLD is inevitable, Thursday’s move by the Commerce Department calls those assertions into doubt.
