A proposal has been rejected to give adult websites their own top-level domain.

This is the third time that Icann, the agency which regulates web addresses, has said no to the proposal from ICM Registry, which would involve pornographic sites changing from .com/co.uk, to addresses ending .xxx.

People who support the proposal say that if adult sites had their own domain, it would be easier to regulate the content of the sites, and also prevent people accidentally getting onto the sites when they don’t mean to.

However, religious groups along with others who object to the proposal, claim that it would legitimise pornography. Some people in the porn industry also opposed the idea as they believe it would confine adult content to the ghetto.

“We are extremely disappointed by the board’s action today,” said Stuart Lawley, ICM’s president and chief executive. He added that the organisation would continue to fight for the establishment of a .xxx domain.

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