The emergence of video as the web’s killer app has been fascinating. It has set in motion substantial changes for the way we communicate with the world. The most obvious symptom of this change is the slow-motion burial of the TV broadcast model, with consumers increasingly moving to an online, on-demand viewership model. Business models are changing—you’ve read about this in the business and popular press. Yet something more subtle is happening at the same time. Video is becoming a primary tool for self-expression. Things like video cameras and desktop editing software are now cheap and ubiquitous, making it easy for casual computer users to speak to a mass audience.

Open standards, open source, and open content are all key to the development of an open video ecosystem. The relationship between new challengers and existing players in the industry will play an integral part in shaping this ecosystem. What technologies will power internet video long-term? What forms will video delivery take, and what innovations will propel the medium forward? It is important to not lose sight of the open web principles that have powered two decades of innovation and disruption, and to ensure that these principles apply to internet video as well.

Art & Remix Culture
-Fair Use

The process of creation has always relied on borrowing and citation, and these practices must be preserved for online video.

Citizen Journalism
-Activism & Human Rights

As video technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, individuals can make the news as it happens and share it with the rest of the world.

Collaborative Video

Wikipedia is the most successful collaborative experiment in human history—and it now supports open video.

Commons & Licensing

The digital commons continues to grow, and is supported by the development of innovative license options.

Device Freedom

Users should retain control of their personal technologies, along with the freedom to choose their own hardware.

Digital Divide

Broadband internet access is a public necessity that will help us tackle many social, political, economic challenges.

Education and video

Multimedia education is changing, aided by tools that should remain open to everyone.

HTML5 & Standards
-Royalty-free Codecs

Open standards are an important feature of the web—video is no exception.

Media Consolidation

A robust public discourse requires distributed control of media.

Net Neutrality

The internet flourishes from open, equal access for all users, not barriers to content or discriminatory service practices.

Privacy & Censorship

User privacy and freedom of speech are critical digital civil liberties in technical and legal terms.

Universal Accessibility

Video is a primary conduit for information on the web. Open source, participatory projects make video available in many languages and formats for everyone.