Singapore refuses to censor .xxx sites

Content regulator the Media Development Authority (MDA) of Singapore and internet service providers say they have no plans to block websites bearing the '.xxx' suffix, designated for sites run by the adult industry.

It is also understood that these .xxx websites will be paid sites.

The International Foundation for Online Responsibility first suggested the suffix in 2003, which is said to make it easier for parents to block such content from children.

The move, nevertheless, drew fire from many, while others slammed it as pointless when pornography was easily available online. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) finally approved the use if the suffix in March this year.

ICANN began to accept applications from companies in the adult industry to register such websites a week ago, although it has yet to set a date for the .xxx sites to go live.

Some local Singapore companies are expected to register .xxx web addresses to pre-empt mischief or blackmail attempts in the future.

The MDA has mandated ISPs to ban some 100 "undesirable" sites; the Government announced in September last year that it will leave the ban in place, despite recommendations to lift it.