Wall Street Journal Weighs in on .XXX

NEW YORK — It’s not often that the conservative Wall Street Journal turns its attention to online porn, but that’s exactly what it did today in an article focusing on .XXX, which the Journal called a “flashpoint for criticism” over the larger issue of U.S. dominance of the Internet.

In large measure, the article focused on the brief history of the controversial proposed top-level domain, and to a lesser extent, gave background on Stuart Lawley and Jason Hendeles, the principals behind ICM Registry, the company that stands to gain from approval of .XXX.

While ICM Registry serves as the protagonist of the piece, the article seems to conclude that the company, and by extension .XXX, are the collective victims of a right-wing conservative campaign against pornography and, to a lesser extent, backlash from the adult industry.

Citing a letter from Fred Schwien, an executive secretary at the U.S. Commerce Department, which has influence, if not control, over ICANN, the Journal concluded that conservative values were the real force behind the anti-.XXX campaign. The person that matters most in this debate, the letter states, is Jim Dobson, an evangelical Christian host of the daily radio show “Focus on the Family.”

While that may be something of an overstatement in an attempt to put a public face on the conservative criticism that .XXX merely encourages more Internet pornography, the article pays scant attention to objections raised by the adult industry, mentioning Steven Hirsch, CEO of Vivid, only briefly at the end.

According to the article, Hirsch suggests that .XXX may be the only issue that the porn industry and the conservative right can agree on.

The article briefly mentions the adult industry’s financial objections to .XXX — Hirsch comments that .XXX would negate millions of dollars invested into .com — but no mention is made of the industry’s 1st Amendment concerns.

Putting a sympathetic touch on the plight of ICM Registry, the article closes with a quote from Lawley.

“We never said we're going to save the whales or stop world hunger,” he said. “We fit the criteria. The only question is, Will someone intervene at the last minute?”

ICANN could vote as early as today on .XXX.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Ofcom: More Porn Providers Commit to Age Assurance Measures

A number of adult content providers operating in the U.K. have confirmed that they plan to introduce age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act by the July 25 deadline, according to U.K. media regulator Ofcom.

Aylo Says It Will Comply With UK Age Assurance Requirements

Tech and media company Aylo, which owns various adult properties including Pornhub, YouPorn and Redtube, plans to introduce age assurance methods in the United Kingdom that satisfy government rules under the Online Safety Act, the company has announced.

Kyrgyzstan Parliament Approves Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

The Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday passed legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

Show More