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In the very early days of the internet, the web functioned as a decentralized, free and open landscape that belonged to everyone. The authority to regulate what people would (or should) see wasn’t vested with any single, dominant organization. Today, large proprietary platform companies (e.g., Google and Meta) control how people interact with the web, connect with each other and share information.
These companies have enhanced the web’s usability and reach across billions of people. But the closed web culture they enable has also spawned widespread misinformation, data loss, privacy breaches, cyberbullying, harassment and abuse – making a strong case for a more open web.
What is the Open Web?
“Open Web” is a broad term that describes technical concepts like open-source software (OSS) and open development standards, as well as democratic concepts like safe, healthy and accessible digital spaces for everyone.
“The Open Web Platform is the collection of open (royalty-free) technologies which enables the Web. Using the Open Web Platform, everyone has the right to implement a software component of the Web without requiring any approvals or waiving license fees.” – W3C
Without the open web’s open-source communities and platforms, it would be much more difficult for developers and other collaborators to connect with each other, exchange ideas and start businesses.
For years, we’ve seen headlines exposing accessibility, security and privacy-related concerns on closed web platforms – Myspace losing years of user-uploaded music during a server migration, Meta capturing sensitive user data through its Facebook and Instagram apps and so on.
To avoid these kinds of issues, we need an open web with improved flexibility, accessibility, privacy, security, scalability, identity and freedom from vendor lock-in. And we need platforms that enable flexible, open-source development and content management – including Drupal.
Drupal is a software application that allows users to create, manage and modify digital content. “Open-source” refers to the fact that the source code of the CMS is freely available for anyone to inspect, enhance and distribute.
How are Closed Web Platforms and Open-Source Platforms Different?
Closed-distribution platforms are at odds with the original integrity and freedom of the open web. But open-source CMSs, like Drupal, recapture that lost flexibility. Let’s compare the two approaches.
Short-term vs. long-term thinking
Remember Google+? It was, believe it or not, Google’s fourth attempt at a social network – following Google Buzz, Google Friend Connect and platform called Orkut. Flawed designs, poor engagement and even data breaches all contributed to the demise of Google+ and these other networks. And the search giant isn’t the only massive internet player with a lengthy list of failed products; Amazon’s Fire Phone, Amazon Destinations and Amazon Wallet all fell to fierce competition, bad design, obsolete tech, poor demand and lean margins.
These failures illustrate the short-term thinking of closed web platforms. A lack of flexibility and visibility prevented users from understanding and adapting these proprietary platforms to their specific requirements. This resulted in poor engagement and lost opportunities and reduced the lifespan of these closed web systems.
In contrast, open-source solutions, including CMS platforms, thrive on collaborative development and community support. Drupal, for example, offers a vibrant user community, fostering ongoing enhancements, bug fixes and adaptability to emerging needs.
Creative freedom vs. limitations
To use a proprietary software platform, you need to buy a license from its owner. But as a customer, you have no permission to access, view, copy, distribute or modify the software’s source code. This limits your creative freedom and prevents you from customizing the software to address your specific needs.
Content algorithms used by large tech platforms like Facebook control what is distributed, and publishers are limited to the services the platform creators choose to build. These closed, platform-controlled “walled gardens” limit the freedom and creativity of content publishers. Feature updates that extend the proprietary software’s capabilities are supported only at a higher cost. Bug fixes and patch upgrades are also solely dependent on the vendor.
Unlike closed web platforms, open-source CMSs, such as Drupal, enable creative freedom and help support unique use cases. Because they have access to the source code, Drupal users can customize the software to meet specific business needs.
Data loss vs. transparency and integrity
Proprietary platforms are often reluctant to disclose data dumps and hesitant to confirm irreversible data losses to the public. Myspace, which was long ago the internet’s leading social network, permanently lost almost 12 years of user-uploaded data during a server migration project. They also failed to provide users an opportunity to back up their data before carrying out the migration.
Closed platforms force customers to engage in a protracted struggle with vendors to obtain authorization to retrieve lost data. There is often limited communication from the vendor’s side and no information about what went wrong.
Open-source CMSs, on the other hand, mitigate the risk of irreversible data loss by providing transparency and user controls. With open access to the platform’s code and data, users can implement robust backup strategies and ensure data integrity. A supportive community also offers prompt assistance and shared solutions when challenges arise.
Invasive data practices vs. privacy protection
Security and privacy researcher Felix Krause observes that when Meta apps like Facebook inject custom scripts into third-party websites, they’re able to monitor all user interactions, including every button or link tapped, text selections, screenshots – as well as any text form inputs like passwords, addresses and credit card data.
Some proprietary platforms sell data to third-parties, without informing their users. Billions of people use the free and convenient services offered by proprietary platforms without a clear understanding of how and where their data is being used. This often results in privacy issies and the exposure of sensitive personal data to cyber criminals.
The latest iterations of open-source CMSs, such as Drupal 10, ensure that your website’s user credentials are well-protected. Enhanced features like advanced password hashing, robust CSRF protection, encrypted cookies, etc., strengthen your website’s defenses, and safeguard against potential cyber threats.
How Does the Open Web Enable Collaboration, Flexibility and Engagement?
An open web solution incorporates the following elements to deliver secure and flexible web experiences.
Trust through openness and flexibility
Open-source software is transparent. Anyone can audit the code and potentially discover security flaws so they can be resolved more quickly. This openness brings greater diversity and a wider array of expertise into developing and extending open software solutions. Experts and engineers from a wide array of industries and specialties can uncover new use cases and contribute new functionalities that would never occur to a less diverse developer team working on proprietary software.
Protection of user identities
The open web boasts some of the leading methods of identity authentication and secure access delegation, including tools like OAuth, OpenID and other consumer-based, opt-in data sharing systems. These give consumers a level of control over how their data is shared with external sites and services. For example, if a consumer wants to share their shoe size and color preferences with multiple shopping websites to receive personalized offers, apps and sites built on open web tools like OpenID can ensure this data is shared securely and responsibly.
Freedom from vendor lock-In
Auth0, a top-rated identity management provider, acknowledges that building on open standards instead of adopting proprietary standards has helped them reduce vendor lock-in and succeed at enterprise sales. Open web standards are supported by the communities that maintain and grow them. These communities boost the confidence of enterprise buyers by constantly supporting and improving the technology that steers open web platforms.
Free organic reach
You don’t have to pay to promote your account on the open web or within its communities. When you express a view, the community will impartially judge the value and credibility of your comment according to specific community guidelines. Since every comment is subject to community feedback, hate speech, racism, discrimination and violence are not allowed to spread. Moderators (not influencers) drive your message’s exposure, organically boosting the reach of your content.
Drupal’s Open-Source Vision
Drupal’s vision is to foster a flexible, accessible open web platform that allows both individuals and organizations to own their data.
Drupal empowers identity and honors privacy
“My personal belief has always been not to collect people’s data and personalities. I aspire to the privacy of a printed book.” – Dries Buytaert, Drupal Founder
Drupal’s open-source platform gives you full control and flexibility over the digital experience that you want to offer your users, whether it gathers data or not. While most proprietary systems lock in on privacy and limit your creative possibilities, Drupal gives you control over what kind of data is collected and how it’s used.
Drupal leads with security
Drupal’s security is designed to meet the standards of Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works to improve the security of software.
The platform’s built-in security reporting provides timely notifications and reporting for software and plugin updates, recommendations and security vulnerabilities. Drupal’s database encryption complies with PCI, HIPAA and other global privacy standards and regulations. Advanced user access controls, strong password security, a large and active community, a proactive security team and a fully transparent, secure and open code base ensure that your Drupal site is under lock and key.
Drupal never tracks users by default
“Walled gardens” like Facebook, Google and Amazon have an upper hand in delivering highly personalized experiences because they record data about user behavior, personal characteristics and habits – including private details that many people might prefer to not disclose. But Drupal enables organizations to control the brand experience, user experience and information flow, while still building equally rich user experiences. For instance, you can create smart shopping experiences by integrating Drupal with a proprietary CRM and an e-commerce platform – and move the data away from each of these applications through a personal information broker. Data access to different applications is managed by the user’s personal information broker.
Drupal promotes digital accessibility
Drupal’s open-source content management system also caters to user accessibility and adheres to W3C standards. The platform promotes accessible content creation through its editorial options and enables structured metadata that’s readable by screen readers. Drupal’s inclusive open web experience follows the Web Accessibility Initiative – Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA), which allows you to design and launch hassle-free sites that adhere to web regulations.
Join the Open Web with Drupal + Material
When you use proprietary software, your success depends on your vendor’s performance. But an open-source platform like Drupal gives you control over your site, content and success. Drupal is supported by a large and growing open-source community that’s contributed 40,000+ modules to extend your site’s functionality.
Besides community support, Drupal’s modular framework offers built-in extensibility via its cloud-based, API-first, low-code, composable architecture. It enables organizations to deliver consistent experiences to customers (B2C/B2B) and employees (B2E) on their own terms. These modular content components – called “nodes” – help you scale your content quickly across multiple digital touchpoints.
Also read: Future-Proof Your Enterprise Technology with Composable Architecture
The Open Web approach to creating digital experiences helps you extend your digital ecosystem and nurture customer relationships. With an open CMS platform like Drupal, you can unlock agility, accelerate speed to market, boost scalability and reduce the time and resources needed for implementation.
If you’re interested in learning more – or you’re looking for a Drupal development partner –reach out. Material has the expertise and experience to help you make the most of everything the open web has to offer. Let’s start the conversation.
