WASHINGTON — The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently announced a plan to create a “.xxx” domain address to house pornographic websites. Patrick Trueman, FRC’s senior legal counsel and former chief of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, released the following statement expressing strong opposition to ICANN’s plan: “The new domain would do more harm than good. The ‘.com’ domain has been a cash cow for the porn industry and pornographers will not give it up and remove themselves to the ‘.xxx’ domain. Instead, they will populate the ‘.xxx’ domain and perhaps double the number of porn sites available on the Web.

“The ‘.xxx’ domain also cloaks the porn industry with legitimacy. The industry will have a place at the table in developing and maintaining their new property.

“Creating a virtual red light district may also discourage law enforcement from bringing obscenity cases on the notion that the problem is solved.”

Patrick Trueman is the author of a newly released FRC pamphlet — “Dealing with Pornography: A Practical Guide For Protecting Your Family and Your Community.” The pamphlet explains actions that the average citizen can take to fight porn in stores, on the internet, and on television. A download of the pamphlet can be found at http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=BC05C01