(Image source: RT)

BY GARY COTTON

The internet’s red light district is officially open for business. ICM Registry’s .XXX domains are up and running... if you’re into that kind of thing. CNN reports.

“As of today, the .XXX is available for porn sites instead of the old .com. More than 100,000 sites are expected to go live today with the “xxx” at the end of the URL. The theory here is that it will be harder for kids to stumble upon adult content by accident.”

Protecting the kids is one thing, but what about people who aren’t there on accident? One benefit of the domain change might come as a surprise.  CNBC reports .XXX means -- Less viruses.

“The idea is for the XXX domain to safely organize and filter adult content. They can be blocked more easily by parental controls and to protect web surfers from phishing attempts, or accidentally downloading malware. Each XXX site will be scanned with MacAfee tools.”

Sites like Domain Name Wire have already posted prices for the x-rated domains as ICM Registry has released a string of ads warning companies to pay up. Their currently facing lawsuits from porn providers saying these domains put them in a compromising position.

But a writer for the Guardian raises a question about the new domain’s benefits.

“It almost certainly won't make the web a cleaner place... You may be able to see the flaw in ICM Registry's logic. Why would porn sites which rely on being easily found in search engines want to be corralled off into a virtual red-light district that web filters are guaranteed to block?”

A writer for Hyper Vocal agrees saying .XXX won’t do anyone much good.

“Basically, they’ve created a porn ghetto that pornographers aren’t happy with, but nor the people who feel God has commanded them to rid the world of spank banks. Nobody wins. Except your 16-year-old son using incognito browsing and a curiosity to see what kind of vids he can dig up.”

According to BBC News, more than 100,000 new .xxx sites went live Tuesday.