For years, experts have debated whether Internet users would benefit from having all the web's pornographic material collected under a .xxx top-level domain. ICANN, the international body in charge of Internet addresses, wants to answer the question once and for all, by introducing a test-pilot program. The new test domain will be called .lol, and it's going to be designated specifically for sites that cause controversial amounts of audible laughter. ICANN says the most popular .lol domains will be sold to the highest bidders in an auction later this year. Some of the addresses that could bring in the most money are cats.lol, epic.lol, and thatswhatshesaid.lol. An anonymous group of forum posters from a well-known site -- our source would only say that it ends in "-chan" -- is looking for investors to buy up the most hotly-contested new domain of all: first.lol.
Not everyone is so thrilled about the launch of this experiment, though. Citizens of the Sovereign Island of Lolliput have been begging ICANN for years to assign the .lol domain to their country. This would have allowed them to compete with their better-known neighbors, the island state of Niue, who have already cashed in on the popular .nu suffix.
We couldn't get in touch with Cheezburger and Tofuburger, proprietors of the ultra-famous website ICanHasCheezburger.com (it's cats with captions!) for a comment on this story. However, a spokeskitteh for the site did say that preparations for the move to .lol were going well. He told Download Squad: "Downtiem: we duz not spect much of it."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-01-2008 @ 6:13PM
Anthony said...
lol.lol should be the first up for bids im sure that would bring in a lot of money.
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4-01-2008 @ 6:36PM
BlackCoffeeNoSugar said...
I really can't understand what the ICANN is doing. Have a look at the 11/12 new domain extensions they have introduced. How many people outside the IT industry actually noticed them? It is simply a waste of time and money for companies want to reserve their trademarks under all extensions.
4-01-2008 @ 6:43PM
Anthony said...
I agree with you. As well, I can't understand how this "Test Pilot Program" is going to do anything for the ".XXX" suffix how does ".LOL" measure upto ".XXX"? Can someone explain.
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4-01-2008 @ 6:50PM
Jay Hathaway said...
Good question, Anthony. Basically, if a large percentage of humor sites on the Web are successfully quarantined behind the .LOL domain, preventing real dangers like people's buttocks being laughed off, then ICANN will conclude that .xxx will also protect viewers from porn, and .xxx will finally launch.
4-01-2008 @ 6:58PM
Ethan said...
Notice the tag that says "afd08"= April Fools 08
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4-01-2008 @ 7:50PM
Josh said...
I lol'ed. :P These posts are getting annoying. Seriously. First MacThemes gets taken down. Then Bungie has their way with my EXP and punishing for vetoing. And now article after article of pure shit from my tech blogs. Please stop?
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4-01-2008 @ 9:46PM
PS_4 said...
April fools. Read the tag. afd08 = april fools day 2008
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4-01-2008 @ 10:53PM
alstki said...
I seriously hate April Fools day.
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4-02-2008 @ 4:55AM
BlackCoffeeNoSugar said...
Errr, good point! But I still think there are far too many extensions out there.
4-02-2008 @ 10:56AM
Jake said...
I want a .lol domain.
I would pay some money to register dizzydj.lol
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4-02-2008 @ 5:04PM
Michael Hendrickx said...
Haha.. so obvious that this was an April Fool's joke. Would make a nice domain though.
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4-03-2008 @ 2:36PM
nat said...
hahaha. best afd ever. i was totally sucked in, EXCITED. DAMN YOU.
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