.xxx registry blocks domain names

ICM, the .xxx registry, has blocked approximately 15.000 .xxx names. These names won’t be available for registration once the release of this extension begins.

Names of celebrities such as, rihanna.xxx, leonardodicaprio.xxx, juliaroberts.xxx or georgeclooney.xxx have already been blocked. Also names of world capital cities, words that might be offensive in certain cultures and some ‘premium’ names the registry wishes to auction, are mentioned on this list.

This list also raises some questions. If the registry can block names of celebrities, while those celebrities don’t have to do anything, why can’t the registry also offer this privilege to other world famous trade marks such as BBC, Nike or Pepsi? The reason is probably the following; Names of celebrities are popular search topics on the Internet, cybersquatters are well aware of this. Moreover, celebrities can’t file an application for their name during the sunrise since they don’t own a registered trademark. It’s only about their own name.