In 2023, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) established a new non-profit organization focused on public interest.



This will allow more partners from around the world to participate, beyond Europe and Asia while preserving the Consortium's existing core process and mission of developing open web standards with contributions from W3C Members, staff, and the international community.

W3C, founded by Sir Tim Berners-Lee almost thirty years ago, is responsible for creating the foundational technical standards that have powered the web. These standards have enabled the creation of 2 billion websites and have paved the way for social media, e-commerce, and video conferencing. Furthermore, W3C has made the web accessible for people with disabilities and has provided support for various languages and cultures.

According to Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the decision to form W3C came in 1994 due to a push from many companies investing increasing resources into the web. He led the essential work of the consortium team to foster a consistent architecture that accommodates rapid progress in web standards for building websites, browsers, and devices. Today, W3C has accomplished many achievements with its Members and the public, and it looks forward to continued empowering enhancements as it launches its non-profit organization.

W3C's vision for the future is to make the web a force for good, one that is more inclusive, respectful of users, and supports truth over falsehoods, among other things.

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community that develops open standards for the web. These standards ensure interoperability and accessibility, enabling the creation of websites that can be accessed by anyone using a web browser.

W3C's standards provide guidelines for technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and XML, which form the building blocks of websites. By defining these standards, W3C has played a crucial role in fostering innovation and enabling the growth of the web.

The development and adoption of open standards by W3C have allowed developers from around the world to create and publish websites that are compatible across different platforms and devices. This compatibility has been instrumental in the exponential growth of the web. Today, there are approximately 2 billion websites that have been created using these open standards.

These standards have also promoted accessibility by ensuring that websites can be accessed by people with disabilities, providing equal opportunities for all users. Additionally, they have contributed to the security and privacy of users by incorporating best practices and guidelines into the development of web technologies.

W3C has not directly enabled the creation of 2 billion websites. The number of websites on the internet is constantly growing and evolving due to various factors, including advances in technology, the increasing accessibility of internet services, and the growing demand for online presence.

However, W3C's contribution lies in providing open standards that have helped facilitate the development and growth of the web ecosystem. By establishing guidelines and specifications for web technologies, W3C ensures that developers have a common framework to work with, promoting compatibility, interoperability, and accessibility across different platforms and devices.

W3C's standards, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and JavaScript, define the fundamental building blocks of web pages and enable the creation of dynamic and interactive content. These standards have become widely adopted and implemented by browser vendors, web developers, and content creators, allowing them to build websites and web applications that can be accessed and experienced by users worldwide.

Moreover, W3C focuses on promoting the principles of an open web, advocating for transparency, inclusivity, and consensus-based decision-making. This collaborative approach encourages the participation and input of various stakeholders in shaping the future of the web and ensuring that it remains accessible to everyone.

So, while W3C's open standards have been instrumental in shaping the modern web, the actual creation and growth of the billions of websites on the internet can be attributed to the collective efforts of individuals, organizations, and technological advancements over the years.