Currently, there’s no top-level domain (TLD) specifically called “.latino”. A top-level domain is the last segment of the domain name, the letters that occur after the last dot. Common TLDs include .com, .net, and .org.
However, there’s a TLD .lat that represents Latin America, which may be of interest. According to The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), .LAT is intended to promote digital inclusion and reduce the digital divide, favouring the integration of the Latin community to the digital era. It’s sponsored by the Latin American and Caribbean Federation for Internet and Electronic Commerce.
Nevertheless, a TLD specifically targeting the broader Latino community, such as .latino, could be beneficial. It could help create a more inclusive and reflective global internet, something which ICANN is keen to promote. The DNS is continually expanding to include new TLDs to cater to segments of internet users based on their location, interests, and language.
As a great example, the TLD .gay launched in September 2020, endorsed by significant LGBTQ organisations and aims to provide a safe online space for the LGBTQ community. The registrar for .gay, Top Level Design, also returns 20% of all registration revenue to LGBTQ organisations (Metz, R. (2020). Registrars, Get Ready! .GAY Is Coming This September! Top Level Design).
Similarly, .eu represents the European Union and was launched in 2005 with over 3.6 million registrations reported by EURID in 2019. It’s primarily used by businesses operating across the various member states of the European Union (EURid Annual Report 2019).
These examples show the utility and value of having TLDs that speak to particular communities. If a .latino TLD were to exist, the same benefits could be applicable, allowing Latino/a businesses, organisations, artists, and individuals to represent their identity and connect with their community online.
Sources:
1. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
2. “Registrars, Get Ready! .GAY Is Coming This September!” by Metz, R. (2020), on Top Level Design website
3. “EURid Annual Report 2019” by European Registry for Internet Domains (EURid)
