IFFOR Baseline Policies



The following policies have been adopted by the Board of Directors of the International Foundation for Online Responsibility (“IFFOR”) as the organization’s “Baseline Policies.” These Baseline Policies may be supplemented and/or modified only in furtherance of the Policy Goals, in accordance with the IFFOR Policy Development Process and the IFFOR Bylaws, and in compliance with the contract between ICM Registry and IFFOR. Any modification that materially diminishes the protections herein designed to combat child abuse images (as defined below), facilitate user choice and parental control regarding access to online adult entertainment, and protect the privacy, security, and consumer rights of consenting adult consumers of online adult entertainment goods and services shall be rejected by the IFFOR Board and/or ICM Registry as a violation of the Sponsoring Organization Contract and the Registry Contract.

As used in these policies, the term “registrant” is used to refer to the operator of a .XXX domain name and to individuals, entities, or organizations holding Membership Credentials corresponding to the .XXX domain name, whether or not the registrant has used an Authorized Proxy Service.

A. Registration Limited to Sponsored Community

Registration in the .xxx sponsored top level domain (the “sTLD”) is limited to members of the Sponsored Community, defined as individuals, business, entities, and organizations that:

  • (i) have determined that a system of self-identification would be beneficial;

  • (ii) have voluntarily agreed to comply with all IFFOR Policies and Best Practices Guidelines, as published from time to time on the IFFOR web site; and either

  • (iii) Provide online, sexually-oriented adult entertainment (“Online Adult Entertainment”) intended for consenting adults or for other community members (“Providers”); Represent Providers (“Representatives”); or Provide products or services to Providers and Representatives (“Service Providers”).

B. Verification of Eligibility

All registrants in the sTLD must be authenticated as members of the Sponsored Community and receive Membership Credentials, using documented, IFFOR-approved processes.

C. Authentication

Registrants in the sTLD must be authenticated, using reasonable technological mechanisms designed to ensure that the identity of the ultimate registrant is known, and that ICM Registry has accurate contact information for such registrant. Reasonable technological mechanisms may change in response to technological advances may include, for example, use of a credit card in connection with a transaction.

D. Labeling Requirements

All registrants in the sTLD must consent to the labeling of their .xxx sites and any site to which such sites are automatically redirected irrespective of the top level domain, using an IFFOR approved label.

E. Prohibition on Child Abuse Images and Conduct or Content Designed to Suggest the Presence of Child Abuse Images.

The term “child abuse images” is defined as any photograph, film, video, picture, or computer or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, depicting child sexual abuse as stated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Registrant’s sites in the sTLD shall not display any child abuse images. Registrant’s sites in the sTLD shall not engage in practices that are designed to suggest the presence of child abuse images, including, without limitation, the use of meta-tags for that purpose or any other such practices identified by IFFOR from time to time. Any sites reported to be in violation of this policy shall be referred to the child safety hotlines in accordance with IFFOR policy.

F. Consent to Scanning

All registrants in the sTLD must agree to permit automated scanning of their sites for compliance with IFFOR policies, including without limitation, IFFOR policies requiring site labeling, prohibiting child abuse images, and prohibiting content or conduct designed to suggest the presence of child abuse images. Registrants must agree not to employ technological or other means to defeat or prevent such scanning.

G. Prohibition on Abusive Registrations

No registrant may register an abusive string in the sTLD including, without limitation, strings that infringe the intellectual property rights of a third party, including common law trademark rights; strings that are obvious variants of well-known trademarks not belonging to the registrant; first and last names of an individual other than the individual or his/her agent or names that suggest the presence of child abuse images.

H. Prohibition on Malicious Conduct

No registrant shall use or permit use of a .XXX domain name for or in connection with email spoofing, phishing, spam, or other forms of malicious behavior, in accordance with specifications and policies issued by IFFOR from time to time.

I. Compliance with IFFOR Best Practices Guidelines

All registrants in the sTLD agree to comply with these Baseline Policies as well as with any IFFOR Best Practices Guidelines that are developed by the Policy Council and adopted by the IFFOR Board in accordance with the IFFOR Policy Development Process.

J. Registrant Disqualification

Violation of Prohibitions on Child Abuse Images and/or Conduct Suggesting the Presence of Child Abuse Images. Registrants that appear to be in violation of IFFOR Baseline Policies E and F above shall be referred to appropriate third parties (law enforcement, hotlines, etc.) in accordance with IFFOR’s reporting policy. ICM Registry shall comply with the direction of law enforcement having jurisdiction over any such sites with respect to termination of the site’s registration.

Other Violations. Registrants determined to be in violation of any other IFFOR Baseline Policies shall be notified via email and given a reasonable period of time to come into compliance. The registration of any registrant failing to cure the identified violation in the specified time frame may be terminated. Registrants determined by ICM to have repeatedly violated the IFFOR Baseline Policies, any IFFOR Best Practices Guidelines, and/or ICM Registry Policies, may be disqualified from maintaining existing registrations in the sTLD or making future registrations in the sTLD.

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