Taylor Swift and Microsoft are buying out porn sites, but it is not for the reasons that you think.
ICANN, non-profit organization responsible for creating and monitoring domains has made a risqué move as a response to a bid to create more unique strings on the ever-expanding web.
As a response, the rising country-pop sensation, Taylor Swift bought out TaylorSwift.porn and TaylorSwift.adult before the trolls could get a chance to tarnish her reputation starting June 1st. Haters can’t hate hate hate all over the musician as the sites are simply going to be a blank space. Although, TaylorSwift.sucks has been reportedly not picked up by the musician.
CNN Money reported that not just Taylor Swift bought out the risqué strings, but Office.porn and Office.adult were swept up by Microsoft soon after the press release.
Each of the domains purchased cost $120 – $150 per year to maintain.
In order to expand on the already available gTLDs such as .com, .org, .net, ICANN issued a statement on Sunday that it is set to launch salacious domains .porn and .adult along with several other x-rated strings in the Spring.
Not only will .adult, .porn and .sucks be available for consumer purchase, but as will gTLDS (generic top-level domains) in other languages be available for purchase.
“Today’s decision will usher in a new Internet age,” said Peter Dengate Thrush, Chairman of ICANN’s Board of Directors. “We have provided a platform for the next generation of creativity and inspiration.”
The move does not come without its critics, however. Back in 2012 when the proposal was first released by ICANN to expand on its existing porn strings along with .xxx, the organization became the target of religious backlash. Thus, in 2014, ICANN backed down and made all porn strings sensitive material.
After these reports, with lobbyists urging the organization to release the domains strings, ICANN caved and plans on releasing nearly 1300 new domains or strings this June.
Alongside the risqué gTLDS, available for purchase will be .pizza, .restaurant and .luxury. These gTLDS will change how businesses operate and are accessible on social media.
“ICANN has opened the Internet’s naming system to unleash the global human imagination. Today’s decision respects the rights of groups to create new Top Level Domains in any language or script. We hope this allows the domain name system to better serve all of mankind,” said Rod Beckstrom, President and Chief Executive Officer of ICANN.
