Why is the European Union always the web standardization go-to?

I had a recent encounter with the ES6 version of JavaScript. I found that "ES" stands for ECMA standardization or the European version of w3(I dunno???). If you can give me some feedback as to why Europe is always the web standardization go-to source(Is it because someone from Scandinavia - berners-lee- discovered the world wide web?). I thought the US defense department started the internet. HUH???

 

Tim Berners Lee did not discover the world wide web, he invented it.
Also note that he is English not Scandinavian.

Further reading

Tim Berners Lee

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coothead

 

Probably boils down to accessibility standards. They are higher and enforced in EU as opposed to some other countries.

 

People always confuse two things: the internet and the web. Internet is the network connecting computers all over the world. So this is mainly hardware. And indeed it was created in the United States, as a part of defense project ARPA. Word Wide Web is a system that works using the internet and indeed it was T. B. Lee who invented it and he's an English man. His invention started what we all use now: web browser using http(s) protocol.

 

The European Union (EU) is often involved in web standardization efforts due to its mandate to promote the development of a single market for information and communication technologies (ICTs) within the EU. This includes the creation of common standards for the design, development, and use of the Internet, as well as the promotion of competition and the protection of consumer rights.

The EU has been actively involved in web standardization efforts through the European Commission's Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT), which is responsible for the EU's ICT policy. DG CONNECT has been involved in standardization efforts through its participation in international standardization organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), as well as through the creation of its own standardization bodies, such as the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

Additionally, the EU's focus on the digital single market and the creation of common standards for ICTs aligns with the need for web standardization, which aims to ensure that websites and web-based applications are accessible and functional across different devices, platforms, and browsers. This is particularly important for businesses operating in the EU, as it enables them to reach a larger market and provide a consistent user experience to customers across different countries and regions.

Overall, the EU's involvement in web standardization is driven by its mandate to promote a single market for ICTs, as well as its commitment to promoting competition, protecting consumer rights, and ensuring the accessibility and functionality of the web for all users.

 

Don't forget that the EU exists to crush your creative spirit, homogenize you, and suck you dry of cash.

 

One reason that comes to mind is "CARE".
In India, I used to work for a non-govt non-profit org for blind people.
I have seen official websites which these blind people cannot use.
Even bank websites do not follow any standards.
It is almost impossible for these blind users to access their own bank accounts using these websites.

Some bloody donkey in a bank decided that they want to hide the password box on their official bank website, and only show it when someone mouse clicks on the userID field.
Now, suddenly, all blind people are locked out of the website.
They cannot mouseclick on the userID box, hence, the password box never shows, and they cannot even login.
Who hides password box on a login page???
We contacted this bank at least 20 times, but the change is still not done, not even till today.

Another website is hell bent on using a javascript dropdown navigation for main menu when users are logged in.
The blind person logged in, but now he cannot do anything, except read the promotional messages shown inside the member area.
We also contacted this website at least 10 times, and I think nobody is even understanding the issue in this company.

A popular ecommerce website decided to use some weird type of javascript on their website.
Blind people can only open their homepage and do nothing else.
Not a single button works with screen readers.
We contacted them a couple of times, explained the issue to them, still no change done till date.

These countries don't even have an accessibility law, telling companies to follow a certain web standard.
Do you want such countries to be web standard of the world?

I have seen so many issues with American websites also, however, at least most of them fix the issue when contacted.

This is rarely a problem when browsing an European website.
Try the LSE website. It is super easy to browse through the London Stock Exchange website.
You will feel the difference yourself.