Sustainable Futures: Funding the Web Ecosystem

We work and live in the modern world. Surely such an integral piece of our
day-to-day life is being built and maintained in a way that ensures it will
last?

Unfortunately this isn’t the case. The current system funding access to the web
is fragile, fractured and unsustainable. In this talk, I’ll give an overview of
the current state of things, how we currently fund the web, why this is a
problem, and possible ways to fix this so that access to information remains
stable and sustainable for future generations to come.


Web Engines Hackfest 2024
https://webengineshackfest.org/2024

1. Sustainable Futures:
Funding the Web Ecosystem
Stephanie Stimac | Igalia Web Platform PM

2. Imagine…

3. Imagine…
An ecosystem that
provides a massive
wealth generating
resource

7. “He who controls spice,
controls the universe.”

8. “He who controls spice the browser,
controls the universe.”

10. Information Age: 1970-present

11. Information Age: 1970-present
Internet Age: 1990-present

13. Browsers are
critical
infrastructure

14. Browsers are
critical
infrastructure
(and complex)

15. 5 Billion
Internet Users
Over

16. 67%
of the global
population

19. PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM

20. 1.It pays for browsers, not engines

21. 1.It pays for browsers, not engines
2.Smaller browsers don’t get a cut of
the deal (unclear processes)

22. 1.It pays for browsers, not engines
2.Smaller browsers don’t get a cut of
the deal (unclear processes)
3.Ad and search revenue does not all
go back into web infrastructure

23. 1.It pays for browsers, not engines
2.Smaller browsers don’t get a cut of
the deal (unclear processes)
3.Ad and search revenue does not all
go back into web infrastructure
4.Legal & regulatory pressure

24. 1.It pays for browsers, not engines
2.Smaller browsers don’t get a cut of
the deal (unclear processes)
3.Ad and search revenue does not all
go back into web infrastructure
4.Legal & regulatory pressure
5.Owned by corporations

25. INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS: WORST CASE SCENARIO EDITION…
WHAT HAPPENS IF
THOSE CORPORATIONS
DISAPPEAR?

27. https://chrome-commit-tracker.arthursonzogni.com/

28. Browsers based on Chromium
Arc
Amazon Silk
Avast
Brave
Comodo Dragon
Dooble
DuckDuckGo
Epic
Falkon
Maxthon
Microsoft Edge
Naver Whale
Opera
Otter
Puffin
qutebrowser
Sleipnir
SRWare Iron
Supermium
UC Browser
Vivaldi

29. INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS: WORST CASE SCENARIO EDITION…
WHAT HAPPENS IF
THOSE CORPORATIONS
DISAPPEAR?

30. But it’s Open Source?

32. https://chrome-commit-tracker.arthursonzogni.com/

33. Open Source needs
sustainable funding

34. The Web Ecosystem
needs sustainable
funding

44. How do we fix this?

45. It Won’t Be Easy

46. This isn’t going to be solved today or
tomorrow…
Disclaimer:

47. This isn’t going to be solved today or
tomorrow…or even next week
Disclaimer:

48. The Goal
Start the conversations,
start exploring solutions

49. Start to fix things before
the system collapses

50. doomer :

51. “[a term] which arose primarily on the Internet to
describe people who are extremely pessimistic or
fatalistic about global problems…”
doomer :

53. Money

54. Money
How do we get it or how do we encourage it?

55. 1.Donation-based systems
(voluntary/cultured-based)

56. 1.Donation-based systems
(voluntary/cultured-based)
2.Incentives (e.g. tax-breaks
for donations or donated
work)

57. 1.Donation-based systems
(voluntary/cultured-based)
2.Incentives (e.g. tax-breaks
for donations or donated
work)
3.Retroactive public goods
funding

58. 1.Donation-based systems
(voluntary/cultured-based)
2.Incentives (e.g. tax-breaks
for donations or donated
work)
3.Retroactive public goods
funding
4.Forms of levy or taxation
(e.g fixing existing
search/browser system)

59. 1.Donation-based systems
(voluntary/cultured-based)
2.Incentives (e.g. tax-breaks
for donations or donated
work)
3.Retroactive public goods
funding
4.Forms of levy or taxation
(e.g fixing existing
search/browser system)
5.And more!

60. The Web Levy
Can we make a
compulsory
system?

61. A levy system
needs to be
mandatory

62. Options:
1.Regulation says so

63. Options:
1.Regulation says so
2.Get all engines to require it in
licensing

64. Options:
1.Regulation says so
2.Get all engines to require it in
licensing
3. Use browser choice screens for
leverage

66. Governance
•A power structure that’s credible
(so people feel comfortable
donating)
•Accountable
•Gives power back to the wider
web community
•There’s tons of experienced
individuals that can make this
happen.

67. Allocation

68. Allocation
1.Small funds for each workstream

69. Allocation
1.Small funds for each workstream
2.One big fund, driven by votes

70. Allocation
1.Small funds for each workstream
2.One big fund, driven by votes
3.Data-driven funding

71. Allocation
1.Small funds for each workstream
2.One big fund, driven by votes
3.Data-driven funding
4.Use impact evaluators, hypercerts, etc

72. Allocation

73. Allocation
1.Small funds for each workstream
2.One big fund, driven by votes
3.Data-driven funding
4.Use impact evaluators, hypercerts, etc
5.…

76. Resources to continue
the conversation
1.Funding the Web Ecosystem: https://github.com/w3c/breakouts-day-2024/issues/20
2.Web Infrastructure Search Endowment (WISE): https://darobin.github.io/wise/
3.Governance of Ad Requests by a Union of Diverse Actors (GARUDA)
https://darobin.github.io/garuda/
Thank you!