The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) are an international non-profit to help develop web standards, with a mission to make the internet live up to it’s full potential. W3C recently released a new statement on their Ethical Web Principles, which I absolutely love and remind of why the internet is such an incredible and influential technology.
Some quick background
Growing up I always loved computers. My dad was a journalist and we were lucky to have one of the early Apple computers at home, which I loved to use. We grew up in Melbourne, and when we moved to Queensland in the early 90s my dad (somehow) convinced his work to let him work remotely via the internet.
I can remember telling friends about having the internet at home before it was even a thing, which seems hard to even image now. As soon as I experienced the internet, I knew it was going to be incredibly powerful and transformative.
For me as a kid the internet opened up the world. It put a huge amount of information at my fingertips, let me talk to people on the other side of the world and transformed the computer I already loved into something with unlimited possibilties.
This is what makes the web special. Unlike any technology that came before it, the web was designed with a radical idea at its core: information should be universally accessible. There should be no gatekeepers deciding who gets to publish, no central authority controlling what we can access, and no technical barriers preventing anyone from participating.
The web’s creator, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, could have patented his invention or kept it proprietary. Instead, he and CERN gave it to the world freely. This decision set the stage for what the web would become – a platform built on principles of openness, accessibility, and universal design.
While the web now is nothing like those early days, and there are so many new challenges and problems, these founding principles matter more than ever. They’re not just idealistic goals – they’re practical guidelines that help us ensure the web remains a force for good in society.
I recently saw the W3C’s statement on ‘Ethical Web Principles’ and felt it perfectly articulated what makes the web special. In this article, I’ll explore why these principles matter, and why it’s more important than ever to protect them – whether as individuals, businesses, or organisations.
What are the W3C’s Ethical Web Principles
The W3C released a statement with their Ethical Web Principles in December, 2024. View the official link and the full statement here. Below I’ll include each principle, and add a few of my thoughts on why this matters and how it applies to web design.
To give a quick summary of the purpose and background on these principles, the abstract perfectly sums everything up…
The web should be a platform that helps people and provides a positive social benefit. As we continue to evolve the web platform, we must therefore consider the consequences of our work. The following document sets out ethical principles that will driveย W3C’s continuing work in this direction.
What is means: The principle states that web technologies should work across regional and national boundaries. Someone in Brisbane should be able to view web pages from Berlin, Bangkok, or Buenos Aires without any technical barriers.
Why it matters to me: Early on I experienced firsthand how revolutionary it was to access information from anywhere. From exploring websites from around the world, and talking to people online this borderless nature of the web opened up incredible possibilities. It’s what makes the web fundamentally different from traditional media – there are no artificial boundaries.
How it shapes my web design work: When building websites, this principle influences decisions like:
Ensuring sites work across different time zones and regions
Knowing that visitors could be coming from anywhere, and accommodating that (especially around compliance issues like GDPR)
Considering content delivery networks (CDNs) for global accessibility
Principle #2: The web does not cause harm to society
What it means: When adding features or technologies to websites, we need to consider and prevent potential harm – especially to vulnerable people. This means thinking beyond just the immediate business goals to consider broader societal impacts and potential misuse scenarios.
Why it matters to me: In those early days of the web, it was the wild west. Completely unregulated I could see how it was something that could be dangerous and have a negative impact. Even though the web is more regulated now, it feels like there is more mis-use and potential for harm out there. This makes it especially important to uphold this principle and use the web in a way that makes the world better, not worse.
How it shapes my web design work: This principle influences my work in several practical ways:
Being thoughtful about data collection and only collecting what’s truly necessary
Not adding misleading or potentially harmful content to the internet
Avoiding any dodgy practices that manipulate users into actions they don’t intend
Making sure accessibility isn’t just an afterthought but a core consideration to prevent excluding users
Building interfaces that respect users’ time and attention
Principle #3: The web supports healthy community and debate
What it means: While the web is a powerful platform for sharing ideas and virtual interaction, we need to build it in a way that promotes healthy discussion rather than enabling harassment, misinformation, or persecution. It’s about creating spaces for genuine dialogue while protecting users from abuse.
Why it matters to me: I think facilitating discussion and allowing people to express their views is one of the best things about the internet… but unfortunately it’s also where there can be some really negative and toxic behaviour. The web should be a place where people feel safe to share ideas and engage in meaningful dialogue, not a platform that amplifies the worst aspects of human behaviour.
How it shapes my web design work: When building websites and features that enable interaction, I focus on:
Implementing robust comment moderation tools for clients who need them
Building contact forms with spam protection and abuse prevention
Advising clients on the responsibilities that come with user submitted content
Principle #4: The web is for all people
What it means: The web should be accessible regardless of technical ability, language, disability, bandwidth, or device. It’s about ensuring that everyone can meaningfully participate in and benefit from the web, without being excluded by technical, physical, or cultural barriers.
Why it matters to me: The web’s greatest strength is its universality. What makes it truly revolutionary is that anyone can access it, contribute to it, and benefit from it. But this isn’t automatic – it requires conscious effort and commitment from those of us building for the web. When we create barriers, whether through poor design choices or lack of consideration for different users’ needs, we’re undermining one of the web’s core strengths.
How it shapes my web design work: Accessibility and inclusivity influence every aspect of website development:
Building responsive designs that work on any device and screen size
Ensuring sites remain functional on slower internet connections
Following accessibility standards (WCAG) as a baseline, not an afterthought
Using clear, simple language in interfaces and content
Testing with different browsers and devices
Implementing proper semantic HTML structure
Making sure forms and interactive elements are keyboard-accessible
Providing text alternatives for images and multimedia content
Principle #5: The web is secure and respects people’s privacy
What it means: Every feature we add to websites impacts users’ privacy and security. We’re handling people’s personal data, conversations, and sometimes even financial information. The principle emphasises building with security by default and ensuring users understand and can control their privacy.
Why it matters to me: Privacy and security on the web are a fundamental righte. But privacy is about more than protecting data – it’s about giving people control over their digital presence. The web’s power to connect and share information shouldn’t come at the cost of personal privacy or security.
How it shapes my web design work: Security and privacy considerations are built into every project from the start:
Using HTTPS encryption for all sites by default
Implementing secure forms with proper validation and protection
Being transparent about data collection and storage
Only collecting necessary information
Regular security updates and maintenance through care plans
Ensuring privacy policies are included on any website
Secure hosting environments with regular backups
Teaching clients about security best practices and their responsibilities
Using secure payment gateways for eCommerce sites
Regular security audits and updates for client websites
Principle #6: The web enables freedom of expression
What it means: Web technologies should support and encourage free expression while balancing this with respect for other human rights. The principle recognises that while not every service needs to support all speech, the web’s architecture shouldn’t enable censorship or surveillance that limits legitimate expression.
Why it matters to me: The web’s ability to give everyone a voice is revolutionary. Whether it’s a small business sharing their story, an artist showcasing their work, or a community group organising support, the web provides platforms for expression that weren’t possible before. However, this power comes with responsibility – balancing open expression with protections against harm and abuse.
How it shapes my web design work: This principle guides how I approach content management and publishing:
Building flexible content management systems that put control in clients’ hands
Creating platforms that enable easy content publishing and updates
Advising clients on content strategy and management best practices
Principle #7: The web makes it possible to verify information
What it means: The web should enable users to verify the authenticity and source of information. This includes clear indication of content origins and maintaining information integrity. The web’s security model is built around the concept of origin, which is crucial for trust.
Why it matters to me: Trust is essential for the web to function effectively. While the web has democratised publishing, it’s also created challenges around misinformation and authenticity. Building trust isn’t just about technical solutions – it’s about creating an environment where users can make informed decisions about the information they encounter.
How it shapes my web design work: I incorporate trust and verification features into website design:
Implementing clear branding and identity elements
Using proper security certificates to verify website authenticity
Only using licensed stock imagery or assets
Making sure contact information and business details are easily verifiable
Building trust indicators into e-commerce systems
Making website ownership and responsibility transparent
Principle #8: The web enhances individuals’ control and power
What it means: The web should empower individuals rather than manipulate them. This means resisting centralisation, avoiding addictive patterns, and ensuring users maintain control over their experience. It’s about technology that serves people and is based on the user, not the other way around.
Why it matters to me: The power of the web comes from its ability to empower individuals and small players, not just large organisations. Each website should be a tool that helps users achieve their goals, not a system designed to capture and manipulate their attention. When we build websites that respect user agency, we’re contributing to a healthier web ecosystem.
How it shapes my web design work: I focus on putting users in control through:
Building interfaces that are clear and predictable
Avoiding dark patterns and manipulative design
Making settings and preferences easily accessible
Creating clear navigation systems that don’t trap users
Respecting user choices about notifications and communications
Making it easy to unsubscribe or remove information
Designing systems that work for users first, not just business metrics
Principle #9: The web is an environmentally sustainable platform
What it means: Web technologies can have both positive and negative environmental impacts. We need to consider the environmental cost of our design and development choices, from data storage to processing requirements, and work to minimise harmful impacts on the environment.
Why it matters to me: As we face increasing environmental challenges, every industry needs to consider its impact – including web design. What seems like small choices in web development can have significant environmental impacts when scaled across millions of users. Building sustainable websites isn’t just about the environment – it often leads to better performance and user experience too.
How it shapes my web design work: Environmental considerations influence my technical and design decisions:
Properly optimising images and media to reduce data transfer
Using good quality build and design practices
Choosing green hosting providers where possible
Implementing effective caching strategies to reduce server load
Minimising unnecessary animations and resource-heavy features
Using CDNs strategically to reduce data transfer distances
Principle #10: The web is transparent
What it means: The web was built to be transparent, on the “view source” principle – the idea that anyone should be able to see how a website is built and what technologies are involved.
Why it matters to me: Transparency is what enables continuous innovation and improvement on the web. Being able to learn from others’ work and best practices is one of the web’s unique strengths. In times when many platforms are becoming increasingly opaque “black boxes”, maintaining web transparency becomes even more crucial.
How it shapes my web design work: I build transparency into websites through:
Using quality platforms and tools
Using standard web technologies and best practices
Being open about how features and systems work
Providing detailed information about data collection and use
Using open-source technologies where appropriate
Making site performance and analytics data available to clients
Ensuring error messages are clear and helpful
Principle #11: The web is multi-browser, multi-OS, and multi-device
What it means: Websites shouldn’t be built to work in just one browser or on specific devices. Content should provide a consistent experience regardless of how users choose to access it. This principle supports user choice and prevents platform lock-in.
Why it matters to me: The strength of the web comes from its universality. When we build sites that only work in certain browsers or on specific devices, we’re fragmenting the web and limiting user choice. Competition between browsers and devices drives innovation and improvement – but only if we build websites that work across all of them.
How it shapes my web design work: Cross-platform compatibility guides development through:
Testing across multiple browsers and devices
Building responsive designs that adapt to any screen size
Avoiding browser-specific features unless absolutely necessary
Using standardised web technologies over proprietary solutions
Ensuring forms and interactive elements work across platforms
Testing on both new and older devices (where reasonable)
Principle #12: The web can be consumed in any way that people choose
What it means: Users should have control over how they experience websites – whether that’s through different browsers, using assistive technologies, or even using content blockers. The web should respect user preferences and choices about how they access and interact with content.
Why it matters to me: User agency is fundamental to the web’s design. While we build and maintain websites, ultimately the user should have control over their experience. Whether someone needs to adjust text size for readability, use a screen reader for accessibility, or block certain content for privacy – these aren’t edge cases to work around, they’re core features of how the web should work.
How it shapes my web design work: I ensure user choice and control through:
Building sites that work well with screen readers and assistive technology
Using proper semantic HTML that supports browser features
Making sure content is readable when users adjust text size
Building sites that work with ad blockers and privacy tools
Avoiding forcing specific viewing modes or settings
Making content printable and saveable where appropriate
In conclusion
Looking back at those early days of getting online in the early 90s, I could never have imagined how the web would transform our world. But what’s remarkable is that the core principles that made the web revolutionary and so popular, are the same ones we need to protect it now.
As someone who builds and maintains websites for a living, I see these principles as both a responsibility and an opportunity. Every website we create is a small part of the larger web ecosystem. When we build with these principles in mind, we’re not just serving our clients’ immediate needs – we’re contributing to a better web for everyone.
Whether you’re building websites, running an online business, or simply using the web, these principles matter. They’re what make the web unique, powerful, and worth protecting.
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