Google’s .soy Domain: For Latinos or Vegans?

You’ve heard of .com, .org and .net. Well there’s a new domain in town and it’s sparking a hot debate amongst Latinos.  According to Google, .soy is “the domain name for Latino identity and expression on the web.” The community response has been mixed.

Some opponents feel that it is adding to the problem, creating virtual segregation so to speak.  After all, there aren’t domains for the Asian-American or African-American communities.  Google, along with other top tech companies here in Silicon Valley, recently released dismal diversity numbers . Google’s US workforce is only 3% Latino.  Does creating a domain that sounds like a place for lovers of soy milk address their lack of diversity issues? Or is it just another instance of pandering to the Latino community?

Others in the community love the new domain, with organizations like Latism, and Ella Institute jumping on board. As a proud culture, we are passionate about our identity, so .soy lends itself to creating a community of empowered Latinos. "It expresses who you are, where you're from, what you do, and where you're going. The Internet now has a domain that celebrates and empowers the Latino spirit." (from Google’s official launch of the domain)    

In any case, .soy is sparking conversation about representing the growing Latino community, which is always a good thing.  

Do you feel empowered that you can now create your own Latino domain name using .soy? Let us know in the comments.

For more information about .soy, click here

For Google’s latest diversity report, click here