HOW TO: Protect your brand from the .XXX Porn Domain This Fall, the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) will go live with their .XXX pornography domain. There’s no doubt this will cause havoc for a handful of unprepared brands as dirty competitors and internet trolls register yourbrandsname.xxx rigged with enough of the right SEO so that it shows up in a web search.

But fear not brand managers. Class is in session and Defensive Registration is today’s lesson. Just follow the steps below and avoid the problem all together.

1. Mark your Calendar: You’ll need to mark your calendars for September as non-pornographic trademark owners may begin to apply to the opt-out program during this time.

2. Protect your Brand: This opt-out window (Sunrise B) will last approximately 30 days, during which you may pay a one-time fee of $200 to $300 dollars to block an exact address string (For example, Coca Cola could block cocacola.xxx for one fee, but it would need to pay an additional fee to block cokeopenhappyness.xxx)

3. Contact your Provider: Once all strings have been chosen, applicants should contact their domain name management service provider to learn more about the exact processes, timing and other details.

You can find any additional information on the process at http://www.xxxempt.com/


How to protect your trademark via DomainIncite

Protect your brand from the comming .XXX Domain via Ad Age