Web standard consortiums are a game with Chrome as the monopoly man
Simon Wijckmans
BSidesSF 2026 · Day 1 · AMC Theatre 02
In his compelling BSides SF talk, "Web standard consortiums are a game with Chrome as the monopoly man," Simon Wijckmans, founder and CEO of client-side web security company Seaside, delivers a critical examination of the current state of web standards bodies, particularly the **World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)**. Wijckmans argues that despite its foundational role in standardizing the internet, the W3C's processes are hampered by the disproportionate influence of large technology companies, primarily Google, which controls the dominant **Chromium** browser engine. This imbalance, he contends, stifles innovation, leads to the adoption of compromised or ineffective standards, and ultimately creates a less consistent, predictable, and secure web.
AI review
Wijckmans makes a coherent, well-argued case about Google's structural dominance in W3C and the practical dysfunction of standards bodies — but it's essentially a well-delivered op-ed, not research. The talk surfaces real frustrations shared across the web security community, lands a genuine call to action, and avoids being a vendor pitch, which earns it credit at BSides SF.