Advance One Web that Works for All

Challenge: The Technology Gap. More than one billion people who read poorly, read only languages not well-supported on the Web, or have disabilities are inhibited from creating and consuming Web content because of the current state of technology and practice. In addition, the introduction of incompatible and proprietary technologies, uninformed policies, censorship and other challenges threaten the vision of the Web as a single, universal medium for the sharing of information.

The Web Standards Program is based on the knowledge that Web technology serves users as well as it does because the fundamental technologies that make it work are free to use, open for review and globally agreed. To ensure that Web technologies fill identified gaps, and that technologies work together, the Foundation works with the World Wide Web Consortium, which develops free and open technical specifications and guidelines. Standards work aimed at removing barriers to Web access because of literacy, language and ability are particularly important for the success of our Web in Society program. We must ensure that existing and new Web technologies work increasingly better across an expanding variety of devices used around the world. We also facilitate community-driven solutions to complex technology and policy issues.