Dot XXX "News"

[2HousePlague]

I started to prepare this response in the original thread: Dot XXX NEWS

But, as I was writing it, and I realized the point I wanted to make was about Subjectivity, I trashed what I had written, and thought it more effective to that message to do this:

I MODIFIED THE ARTICLE -- JUST A FEW WORDS, HERE AND THERE,
AND WAS ABLE TO TRANSFORM THE STORY --
USING THE SAME SOURCE INFORMATION...

My edits are indicated in OFF white.

-------------------------@ -------------------------

US Commerce Department Maintains Authority to Approve XXX Domain Name Extension


NEW YORK - The United States Commerce Department on Thursday reasserted its power over all internet domain name extensions approved by ICANN, and therefore has the authority to approve the dot-xxx domain name extension when ICANN moves forward with plans to put it into play later this year.

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 approval 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 the United States Commerce Department will determine the fate of the dot-xxx domain name extension approved by ICANN.

The dot-xxx domain name proposal has generated widespread opposition from the Family Values groups, Christian Oranizations, and the PJGOTP (People Just Generally Opposed to Porn). Jan LaRue of Concerned Women for America wrote that allowing pornographers to have a presence in both the .com and .xxx domains would "double their pleasure and double their fun while expanding their reach and making it easier for kids to find their porn."

Wrote LaRue in Human Events: "Allowing an industry that produces and distributes hard-core pornography prosecutable under the federal obscenity laws to voluntarily self-regulate makes as much sense as allowing Murder Incorporated to regulate hit men who voluntarily register with www.wackjobsrus.mob. No need for the killjoy, meddlesome feds to interfere by enforcing federal law."

[DELETED ICM/IFFOR/.XXX BACKGROUND INFO]

While the future of the dot-xxx TLD remains uncertain, Thursday?s move by the Commerce Department tells us who will decide it.

The Media "invent" our Reality

What immediately struck me whille reading the article (and provked this response fro me), was the fact that neither the US Commerce Department, nor its spokesman Michael Gallagher, said anything at all about the .XXX TLD.

This example makes it apparent (for any who would not have thought so before now) that the Press, for knowing who their readers are, will sometimes mold the facts to help make a story more interesting to their readers. In this case, to feed our intense topical interest in .XXX, the story was shaped to somehow be about that.

Gallagher Testifying:



What the news actually was:

U.S. Principles on the Internet?s Domain Name and Addressing System

The United States Government intends to preserve the security and stability of the Internet?s Domain Name and Addressing System (DNS). Given the Internet's importance to the world?s economy, it is essential that the underlying DNS of the Internet remain stable and secure. As such, the United States is committed to taking no action that would have the potential to adversely impact the effective and efficient operation of the DNS and will therefore maintain its historic role in authorizing changes or modifications to the authoritative root zone file.

Governments have legitimate interest in the management of their country code top level domains (ccTLD). The United States recognizes that governments have legitimate public policy and sovereignty concerns with respect to the management of their ccTLD. As such, the United States is committed to working with the international community to address these concerns, bearing in mind the fundamental need to ensure stability and security of the Internet?s DNS.

ICANN is the appropriate technical manager of the Internet DNS. The United States continues to support the ongoing work of ICANN as the technical manager of the DNS and related technical operations and recognizes the progress it has made to date. The United States will continue to provide oversight so that ICANN maintains its focus and meets its core technical mission.

Dialogue related to Internet governance should continue in relevant multiple fora. Given the breadth of topics potentially encompassed under the rubric of Internet governance there is no one venue to appropriately address the subject in its entirety. While the United States recognizes that the current Internet system is working, we encourage an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders around the world in the various fora as a way to facilitate discussion and to advance our shared interest in the ongoing robustness and dynamism of the Internet. In these fora, the United States will continue to support market-based approaches and private sector leadership in Internet development broadly.

The above was released by the NTIA in conjunction with Gallagher's June 30th "Remarks", and may be reviewed on their site.

You may also wish to review Gallagher's Presentation

If this "news" bodes anything to those in our industry considering the likelihood and the prospect of the .XXX TLD, you should now be able to decide for yourselves... WHAT THAT IS.

To speculate beyond what is evident in Gallagher's "Remarks", we would have to consider the question:

What will the Department of Commerce think of .XXX, now that the the fate of the TLD (if not the fate of the Internet itself) is firmly in the hands of the Government -- ? -- ? -- ?

2HP

[SeniorX]

Executive Summary?

[2HousePlague]

Originally Posted by SeniorX

Executive Summary?

There is a basis in truth which the media can and will "shape" to tell its audience the stories they are interested in reading in ways that will produce a desired effect. This is all a little too important for us to take any headlines (or Executive Summaries, if you will) as fact.


2HP

[AlienQ - BANNED FOR LIFE]

Wow.
This shouldnt be buried.

Big mother fucking bump