The United States Congress last week passed legislation criminalizing pornographers who deliberately mask web sites behind innocuous-sounding domain names.

As reported by Demys last month (see: If you can't do the time, don't register the domain) the bill will result in possible criminal proceedings being instigated against web site operators who feature sexually graphic material while using misleading Internet addresses.

The section relating to domains was introduced as an amendment to the Child Abduction Prevention Act - designed to strengthen penalties for paedophiles, and distributors of child pornography. It is designed to protect Internet users against domain or typo squatters who register domains similar to or containing common misspellings of well known brands, in an effort to attract visitors to revenue generating pornographic sites.

Rep. Mike Pence, who first introduced the misleading domain name bill in 2002, said:

You can't have a fraudulent storefront on the Internet and have kids walk in and find themselves in the adult section -- triple X -- when they came in looking for Hardy Boys. We're not telling you to tear down your store. What we're saying is that you can't have a storefront saying that you're for kids and be for adults.

The bill could also lead to the demise of a favourite tactic of some "cyber snatchers" who will sweep up and register a domain if the original registrant neglects to renew it. Often these domains are then pointed at adult sites to, firstly, generate a quick profit through advertising for the new registrant and, secondly, blackmail the old registrant into buying the name back.

While the legislation will only apply to those within the jurisdiction of the United States, it is bound to find many new fans - most of all the US government itself. They may, at last, be able tackle the registrant of whitehouse.com, which does not focus on information about the President and government, but pornographic material! Little wonder that the Whitehouse says George W. will sign the legislation.