.xxx

.xxx is a sponsored top-level domain intended for websites associated with the adult entertainment industry. It was approved by ICANN and entered the Domain Name System in 2011.

ICANN: The nonprofit organization that coordinates key parts of the internet’s domain name system. ICANN evaluated and approved .xxx after years of proposals and disputes.
Domain name registry: An organization that maintains the authoritative database for registrations in a top-level domain. ICM Registry maintains the authoritative records for .xxx domain names.
Generic top-level domain: A top-level domain not formally tied to a particular country, such as .com or .org. Unlike broad generic domains, .xxx was designed around a specific industry community.
Domain squatting: Registering domain names to exploit their value, often by reselling them or targeting a trademark owner. The .xxx launch raised concerns that third parties might register brands’ matching names.
ICM Registry: The domain registry that operates the .xxx top-level domain. ICM Registry proposed .xxx and manages its registration system.
Domain name registrar: A company authorized to sell domain-name registrations to the public. Registrants typically obtain .xxx names through accredited registrars.
.adult: A sponsored top-level domain intended for websites associated with adult entertainment. .adult is a later domain option with a similar intended industry association.
Trademark cybersquatting: Registering a domain name that misuses or targets another party’s trademark. Trademark holders sought ways to prevent their names from appearing in .xxx registrations.
Top-level domain: The highest level of the Domain Name System’s hierarchical domain-name structure. .xxx occupies the top-level position after the final dot in a domain name.
Sponsored top-level domain: A top-level domain restricted by eligibility rules and overseen by a designated sponsoring community or organization. .xxx was structured as a sponsored domain with eligibility and policy requirements.