As ICANN’s expansion of generic top-level internet domains (gTLD) goes into effect, one of the first eye-catching gTLDs to take the stage is the clearly defined .xxx, which will be available to companies specializing in “adult entertainment.” In other words, pornography is about to get its own corner of the Internet.
So what does this mean for non-porn businesses on the web? “Brand owners are faced with the same situation they face whenever a new domain name ending comes out,” says Troy Larson, an IP associate at Ballard Spahr LLP in Philadelphia. “How do I make sure cybersquatters don’t register my brand as a domain name and then use it for a nefarious purpose, or just some purpose that creates confusion?”
