YNOT EUROPE – Dot-xxx overseer ICM Registry on Tuesday released more than 3,500 dot-xxx domain names the registry had held in reserve to protect adult performers’ and personalities’ intellectual property rights in their stage names. At the same time, the registry announced a partnership with domain registrar Name.com to make the released domains available to those who can verify legitimate ownership interest.

“We recognized early on that a significant portion of the core success of the adult industry lies with its performers,” said ICM Sales Director Vaughn Liley. “We also became aware that performers do not often have registered trademarks, nor do they retain legal representation to protect their trade name. The Adult Performers Program was born from the desire to make a conscious effort to protect these individuals who are truly at the core of the adult entertainment community.

“We offered a similar and unprecedented protection for existing adult domain owners as a part of our Sunrise A program in September and October of last year,” Liley continued. “We feel that these programs, along with our Rapid Evaluation Service dispute resolution policies, are a positive step toward protecting against infringement as well as a deterrent to would-be cybersquatters.”

The Adult Performer Program verification process requires adult industry insiders to complete an identity verification process and sign an affidavit attesting to their ownership of their pseudonyms. Registration of the domains through Feb. 3, 2013, is gratis through Names.com. When the domain expires, the registrant may maintain the account with Name.com or transfer the domain to the registrar of their choice.

“At Name.com, we love creative ideas that benefit everybody involved,” said Jared Ewy, Name.com’s community evangelist. “ICM Registry’s Adult Performer Program is a brilliant way to promote dot-xxx within the industry while increasing web traffic and protecting adult performers. As a domain registrar, we’ll support these domains with our world-class customer support, security and 24/7 monitoring, so industry talent can rest easy that more traffic won’t mean more problems — just more business with dot-xxx and Name.com.”

Multiple AVN Award-winning performer Teagan Presley recently became the first adult industry celebrity to be verified through the program. She has been awarded the registration for TeaganPresley.xxx.

“With the launch of the dot-xxx domain names, I was concerned that a squatter would grab TeaganPresley.xxx and try to extort me,” Presley said. “Luckily the guys at ICM were smart and held on to the talent URLs. They allowed me to get it with no mess. Thank you, ICM.”

Performers and personalities may contact an ICM representative with questions and comments about the program.