Oklahoma Universities Purchase Porn Domains To Protect Reputation

More than 100,000 adult porn sites will go online Tuesday under a new .xxx domain name. Boomersooner.xxx and OSU.xxx will be among the sites, but who's behind them may surprise you.

The Oklahoma Universities are actually registering and paying for the names themselves in an effort to protect their reputation.

After ten years of legal maneuvering, the domain name .xxx will go online. Supporters say the new domain names will help identify porn sites and help parents better block access for their children.

While others argue porn sites will not be required to carry the xxx domain, it will do little good.

"The joke about the internet is that it's pornography, with a few legitimate sites thrown in for laughs," said John Abell from Wired.com.

But for anyone who doesn't want their name associated with a .xxx site, it will cost them. And that includes universities.

Both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have confirmed they have registered select domain names so they are not used inappropriately.

OSU says it has registered five names, although it won't say which ones. OU says it has also taken steps to protect its trademarks by registering select domain names, so they are not used inappropriately by third parties.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the University says: "The protection of our intellectual property is vitally important to OU, so we will continue to take proactive measures to maintain our brand, image and reputation."

The one-time cost to universities to block their .xxx domain names is about $200 per name. The schools had until the end of Monday to purchase and block the use of the domain names.

On Tuesday, they are fair game to the public.