Playboy's frequent portfolios of college women across the U.S. are bad enough--never mind the prospect of porn sites with names like "www.USCleazy.xxx."

That seems to be the thinking employed by colleges that, according to the Associated Press, are grabbing .xxx domain names to keep them off the market and prevent the sullying of their collegiate reputations.

The AP offers up the example of the University of Kansas, which, it says, spent nearly $3,000 to lock down names like "www.KUgirls.xxx" and "www.KUnurses.xxx."

Businesses, too, are buying domains to prevent the defilement of their brands. Blog Fusible reports that Google bought the domain "YouTube.xxx" earlier this week. The company is also sitting on "Google.xxx" and "Blogspot.xxx," Fusible says.

The Target retail store chain has also admitted to a similar move to purchase the use of .xxx names that might be linked to the company. A spokesperson said, "Target has applied to block a number of the .xxx domains that correspond with our registered trademarks. We do not plan to use the domains."

The manager of the .xxx domain is ICM Registry. The company says that even if some businesses and schools don't purchase .xxx domain names that might be linked to those organizations, ICM will take steps to ensure that the trademarks of those groups are protected.

Domain-name governance body ICANN--the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers--gave the .xxx domain its official approval earlier this year, and registrations for the domains began in September.

A "sunrise" period kicked things off, giving companies in- and outside the porn industry 50 days to register for or block themselves from the domain. A "land rush" period followed, with businesses having access to remaining .xxx addresses.

Domains became available for purchase by the general public earlier this week--on a first come, first served basis.

CNet / Neowin