University considers buying two porn site domains to protect its brand

Usually, UNC and Taylor Swift have drastically different concerns.

But after the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers announced it would open a public sale for domain names ending in .porn and .adult on June 1, celebrities, schools and everyone in between have started to consider buying the rights of these explicit URLs.

Unlike UNC, Swift preemptively purchased the .porn and .adult domain endings attached to her name to prevent people from using the website for personal or inappropriate means.

“We are aware that several gTLDs (a version of a domain) have recently become available and are currently evaluating the options,” said Rick White, associate vice chancellor for communications and public affairs, in a statement.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers releases new domain endings every month, and the nonprofit regulates the period of time in which trademarked brands can purchase domain names to prevent them from being used for personal or inappropriate uses. Harvard University already purchased harvard.porn and harvard.adult.

The existence of these domains allows for any website name to end in .porn, .adult or any other domain that might exist, as new ones are continuously produced.

Anyone can purchase these domains and create any website they wish that ends in .porn, leading many people to be concerned that their identity, institution or company they might be associated with will be attached to a .porn domain.

UNC, however, has not yet purchased these domains associated with its name.

Gary Kayye, a lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, who teaches “The Branding of Me,” said because Google does not index porn searches, it is not currently a problem, but it might be in the future.

He said he encourages all students in his class to purchase domains with their name.

“If you’re concerned about your brand ... people could write something under your name, people could trust it as yours,” he said. “Whenever a new dot whatever comes out, they should purchase it.”

Kayye said a large entity like UNC should protect its brand by shutting down these websites or keeping people from using them, but it could be an expensive proposition.

Most domains cost $70 a year to purchase. Kayye said at this price, it is probably worth it to purchase these domains.

Junior Alma Islas said these domains have the power to diminish UNC’s brand because people will think it originated from the school.

“I definitely think it is a big deal ‘cause just for the fact that it has UNC’s name on it, people could associate it to UNC,” she said.

Sophomore Josh Smith said as long as search engines are aware of official sites and that UNC’s official website is the first site that comes up when people type this keyword into search engines, then it’s fine.

“I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop the cyber warfare of creeps.”

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