The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a non-profit agency that coordinates the world's internet domain names. I did not know that such an organisation even existed. ICANN is based in Los Angeles, Ca., (Of course it is. It wouldn't be in plain, old Bognor Regis, England would it?) and is currently overseeing an expansion of available domain names. The most common domain names are .com , .org and .net, but ICANN has a list of 2,200 potential new offerings up for consideration. Amongst the new suggestions are two proposed new wine-themed domain names; .wine and .vin.
Now apparently wine producers around the world have their knickers in a twist over the possibility of having to defend their brands against trademark infringements and other unscrupulous goings-on. The Napa Valley Vintners, a non-profit trade association, recently joined six other west coast trade groups, representing some 2,000 winemakers (including 500 Napa vintners), in a concerted effort to secure the cancellation of the .wine and .vin domains. In June ICANN rejected their appeals.
Napa vintners already have several governmental regulations in place, as does Champagne in France, that defend their product's identities. They obviously feel they need more safeguards.
I'm in two minds about this. On one hand, seeing as I work at a winery, I'd like to see the product I help sell protected, after all most wines are tied more specifically to a particular place of origin than any other food product. On the other hand I believe in a free market economy, and I also feel that a wine with a simple, California appellation designation does not need to be protected as perhaps a wine from a specific vineyard in a designated AVA should (for example the one in which I live, Coombsville). Consumers in all walks of life need to do their homework before they purchase anything. Caveat emptor, I say.
Now apparently wine producers around the world have their knickers in a twist over the possibility of having to defend their brands against trademark infringements and other unscrupulous goings-on. The Napa Valley Vintners, a non-profit trade association, recently joined six other west coast trade groups, representing some 2,000 winemakers (including 500 Napa vintners), in a concerted effort to secure the cancellation of the .wine and .vin domains. In June ICANN rejected their appeals.
Napa vintners already have several governmental regulations in place, as does Champagne in France, that defend their product's identities. They obviously feel they need more safeguards.
I'm in two minds about this. On one hand, seeing as I work at a winery, I'd like to see the product I help sell protected, after all most wines are tied more specifically to a particular place of origin than any other food product. On the other hand I believe in a free market economy, and I also feel that a wine with a simple, California appellation designation does not need to be protected as perhaps a wine from a specific vineyard in a designated AVA should (for example the one in which I live, Coombsville). Consumers in all walks of life need to do their homework before they purchase anything. Caveat emptor, I say.
2 comments:
I'm here!or was .
Thud: Yes you were, thank you.
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