Open Standards

Open Standards is a chapter by Sunil Abraham published in Global Information Society Watch 2008 (APC, 2008). It reviews policy and advocacy developments around open standards in ICT governance, arguing that open, royalty-free standards are essential to digital inclusion, innovation, and citizen autonomy.

Contents

1. Publication Details
2. Abstract
3. Context and Background
4. Key Themes or Arguments
5. Full Text
6. Citation

Publication Details

👤 Author:

Sunil Abraham

📘 In Book:

Global Information Society Watch 2008

📚 Editor:

Alan Finlay

🏛️ Publisher:

Association for Progressive Communications (APC)

📅 Year:

2008

🔢 ISBN:

92-95049-65-9

📄 Pages:

pp. 20–22

📘 Type:

Book Chapter

📄 Access:

Download PDF

Abstract

The chapter defines and defends open standards as the foundation of equitable, interoperable, and democratic information systems. Abraham critiques proprietary formats that restrict user freedom, highlighting how royalty-bearing or vendor-controlled standards undermine innovation and accessibility. Using examples such as Microsoft’s OOXML controversy and the success of open formats like ODF, he demonstrates how openness enables competition, interoperability, and inclusion.

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Context and Background

Global Information Society Watch 2008 focused on access to infrastructure. Within this framework, Sunil Abraham’s essay explores the political economy of digital standards — who controls them, who benefits, and how “open” technologies shape access to information. Drawing from his policy advocacy at the Centre for Internet and Society, he places open standards within the wider struggle for technological sovereignty, contrasting royalty-free public standards with patent-encumbered, corporate-controlled systems.

Key Themes or Arguments

• Definition and Philosophy: Open standards must be royalty-free, fully published, and implementable by anyone without restriction.
• RAND vs. Open Licensing: “Reasonable and non-discriminatory” licensing still excludes Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) communities.
• Vendor Capture: Case studies like Microsoft’s OOXML show how monopolies manipulate standards processes.
• Public Interest Imperative: Governments and publicly funded institutions should adopt open standards to ensure long-term data accessibility.
• Innovation and Interoperability: Open standards foster competition and technological diversity.
• Inclusion and Accessibility: Open standards are vital for affordable ICT access, accessibility tools, and preservation of public knowledge.

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Full Text

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Citation

If you wish to reference or cite this chapter, please use one of the following formats:

APA style:

Abraham, S. (2008).
Open Standards. In A. Finlay (Ed.), Global Information Society Watch 2008 (pp. 20–22).
Association for Progressive Communications (APC). ISBN 92-95049-65-9.
https://sunilabraham.in/publications/open-standards/

BibTeX style

@incollection{abraham2008openstandards,
author = {Abraham, Sunil},
title = {Open Standards},
booktitle = {Global Information Society Watch 2008},
editor = {Finlay, Alan},
publisher = {Association for Progressive Communications (APC)},
year = {2008},
pages = {20--22},
isbn = {92-95049-65-9},
url = {https://sunilabraham.in/publications/open-standards/}
}

MLA style

Abraham, Sunil. "Open Standards." Global Information Society Watch 2008,
edited by Alan Finlay, Association for Progressive Communications, 2008,
pp. 20–22. ISBN 92-95049-65-9.
https://sunilabraham.in/publications/open-standards/

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