As of today (7 September) brands can protect their names from porn hijacking by blocking their name from being used with the new .xxx domain suffix. 

Dubbed the ‘online red light district’ the .xxx suffix will go live next year. In the words of ICM Registry, the idea is “to promote a responsible approach to adult content”. 

Brands and intellectual property holders have 50 days (a sunrise period) to submit their application to register their .xxx address or exempt themselves, blocking anyone else creating a .xxx URL with their brand name. 

They will have to pay a one-off fee of between $200 to $300 (£100 to £300) to register their domain name or protect it from going on sale.  

This follows the announcement in June of plans to allow an increase in the number of internet address endings, such as .London, .car or .cocacola. 

The DMA has already expressed its concern over the extension of domain names. With the addition of .xxx brands have to pay more money to stop their brand names from being used in a malicious or inappropriate way. 

Chris Combemale said: “Companies are already hard pressed to find cost savings in these tough trading times; adding a further financial burden that won’t reap any commercial benefits cannot be justified.”

Posted by 

Sarah Wright