Registration begins for .xxx Internet porn domain

Pornography dealers can start registering on the industry's own exclusive .xxx web domain on Wednesday following its approval by an international regulatory body earlier this year, the domain operator said.

The Florida-based ICM Registry, which provides the management and supporting infrastructure for the domain name, has touted its benefits for the industry, customers and those who prefer to avoid online adult content.

".xxx registrations begin with a 50 day Sunrise period that gives businesses both inside and outside of the adult industry an exclusive timeframe to register or exempt themselves," it said.

"Running concurrently, Sunrise A registers interest from the sponsored adult community, while Sunrise B has been specifically designed for companies outside the adult industry" to protect their intellectual property, it said.

The domain, approved by the California-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) earlier this year, will take its place alongside the better-known .com, .gov, .edu and .net.

ICM Registry said the McAfee security firm will scan the domain for malware on a daily basis, making the websites safer for users, and that having pornography sites concentrated in one place will allow people to more easily chose whether to visit them.