Get the latest tech news

The Anti-Capitalist Case for Standards

In a capitalist world, the often-overlooked systems of technical standards offer a rare example of economic collaboration that prioritizes the public good over profit.

USB became the somewhat confusing standard both for several connector types and data transfer protocols because a consortium of hardware and telecom vendors leveraged their combined power to develop the One Port to Rule Them All. The formal process used by SDOs attempts to minimize this outsize influence through requirements that significantly decrease the amount of power that any single player can have in the development of a modern standard. Unlike patents, which are owned, licensed, bought, and sold, standards are developed collaboratively and published by SDOs on “reasonable and non-discriminatory” terms, ensuring that they are widely available.

Get the Android app