The .cat domain is intended to provide a home for those
promoting Catalan culture, history and language, and was approved
without difficulty by ICANN on Friday.
But it appears that ICANN, the body responsible for the
internet’s domain name system, has come under pressure regarding
.xxx. The US Commerce Department and governments around the world
have expressed discomfort at .xxx domain.
ICANN first considered and refused an application for the .xxx
suffix five years ago. But in June 2005 it gave preliminary
approval for the adults-only label to the ICM Registry.
Final approval was expected in August but it has not been
forthcoming.
ICANN and the ICM Registry initially agreed to delay the
decision for a month, giving the Registry time to allay the
concerns; but when the issue came up for discussion again on
Friday, the decision was postponed again.
According to the ICM Registry, the delay relates to “specific
questions about provisions to prevent scenarios whereby there could
be significant changes in ownership and changes in the definition
of the sTLD [sponsored Top Level Domain] community”. The Board is
apparently concerned that this may require contract changes.
“We are encouraged by the Board's focus on the contract, and
quite confident that their questions can be fully and easily
resolved. We look forward to working with ICANN to do so
immediately,” said the Registry in a statement.
