.XXX gets pulses racing

The Bush administration is objecting to the creation of a .XXX domain, saying it has concerns about a virtual red-light district reserved exclusively for pornography.

Michael Gallagher, assistant secretary at the Commerce Department, has asked for a hold to be placed on the contract to run the new top-level domain until the .XXX suffix can receive further scrutiny. The domain was scheduled to receive final approval on Tuesday.

In a letter that was made public on Monday, Gallagher said: "The Department of Commerce has received nearly 6,000 letters and emails from individuals expressing concern about the impact of pornography on families and children."

The sudden high-level interest in what has historically been an obscure process has placed the ICANN in an uncomfortable position. ICANN approved the concept of a .XXX domain in June and approval of ICM Registry's contract to run the suffix was expected this week.

Other governments have also been applying pressure to ICANN in a last-minute bid to head off .XXX. A letter from Icann's government advisory group sent on Friday asks for a halt to "allow time for additional governmental and public policy concerns to be expressed before reaching a final decision".

ICM Registry — the for-profit company in Florida that plans to operate the .XXX registry — has told ICANN it would agree to a month's delay in the approval process to permit it to "address the concerns" raised by the Bush administration and other governments.

Jason Hendeles, founder of ICM Registry, said in a telephone interview on Monday: "We're focusing our attention on the Department of Commerce and ensuring that we're building this as a voluntary [top-level domain] for responsible companies."

Hendeles said that although the .XXX application is "already approved", his company is willing to try to allay fears about legitimising pornography. "The industry has existed for a long time and is growing internationally and is doing what it can to fight child porn and to be a responsible industry," he said. "This is an opportunity for all the different voices to come together."

The multinational pressure, unprecedented in ICANN's seven-year history, places the organisation in a delicate position. If it backs down, ICANN could be perceived as bowing to political interference — but if not, it could alienate government officials just as the United Nations is becoming more interested in taking over key Internet functions.

ICANN has not said what will happen next. John Jeffrey, ICANN's general counsel, said in an email that "all of this correspondence and any other correspondence received will be given to the board for their consideration relating to this matter".