Internet Standards Almanac

Welcome!

This is a guide for those who are curious about engaging in the standardisation of internet infrastructure, but might not be sure about how, where, and which issues are up for discussion. This almanac answers two primary questions:

  • Which standards developing organisations (SDOs) are developing standards that have human rights implications?
  • How do these standards impact human rights?

Here, you’ll find the major internet-related SDOs, and the various groups and committees within each of them that are working on relevant issues. Using the tags, you can organise your search by topic to identify which groups or committees are working on a particular issue or impacting a particular right.

Happy exploring!

We’ve developed this Internet Standards Almanac for our fellow cats–we mean people–who care about technology and rights. Why cats? Catnip waving

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) working groups

The World Wide Web Consortium develops technical standards and guidelines for web technologies such as HTML and CSS.

Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) working groups

The Internet Research Task Force is a parallel organisation to the IETF and promotes research on the evolution of the internet, including topics related to internet protocols, applications, architecture, and technology.

Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) working groups

The Internet Engineering Task Force develops a wide range of internet protocols and standards, including the Internet Protocol suite (TCP/IP).

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) working groups

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers develops a wide range of international standards for modern telecommunication and ICT hardware, and networks that allow devices to connect to the internet, including Ethernet, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

International Organisation for Standards (ISO) working groups

The International Organization for Standardardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission develop and publish a broad range of standards, from quality and environmental management systems, occupational health and safety, to IT service management.

ITU Telecommunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T) working groups

The International Telecommunication Union is a UN specialised agency. The ITU's Technical Standardization Sector is responsible for developing standards related to telecommunication/ICT infrastructure technologies.

ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) working groups

The International Telecommunication Union is a UN specialised agency. The ITU's Radiocommunication Sector sets standards for radiocommunication issues, including spectrum management.

3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) working groups

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project develops specifications for mobile telecommunication networks, including 5G.

Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) working groups

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions develops technical and operational standards for the ICT industry.

European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) working groups

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute develops standards for ICTs in Europe.

The European Committee for Standardisztion (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) working groups

The European Committee for Standardization and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization are responsible for the development of European standards across various industries, including artificial intelligence, energy management, and accessibility.