Colleges Snatch Up .XXX Sites

Today is the day that .com starts to sound even tamer: The much more risque .xxx domain goes live at 11am ET today. Some 100,000 websites are expected to make their very adult debut at that time, and CNN reports on some of the upsides and downsides to the move. Pro: They should become safer destinations. Porn links frequently serve as fronts for viruses or other malware; those who apply for a .xxx domain agree to follow certain business standards, and all .xxx sites will be scanned every day with McAfee tools. Con: Some argue the availability of the suffix is basically an endorsement of porn.

The best side story: Universities across the country are gobbling up the .xxx domains. Yes, really. Fearful that porn outlets might try to exploit their good name, schools are making the first move. The Journal Gazette reports that Indiana University spent $2,200 to secure 11 domain names for the next decade. So don't expect anything too scintillating at Indianauniversity.xxx, Hoosiers.xxx, or IUPUI.xxx . (More ICANN stories.)