At WordCamp Asia, Nathan Wrigley spoke with Aaron D. Campbell about the importance of the open web, open standards, and WordPress as a counterweight to closed platforms. Aaron — an international speaker, open source advocate, longtime WordPress contributor, former security lead, and current director of product at A2 Hosting — describes his commitment to WordPress as rooted in preserving choice, portability, and interoperability on the web.
What the open web means
Aaron traces the open web back to foundational open standards like HTTP and HTML: protocols that let information flow freely and be implemented by anyone. Openness, he says, is about more than open source software; it’s about the freedom to own your data and move it when you want. Interoperability and portability are central — the ability to migrate content, change hosts, or switch service providers without losing control.
That model stands in contrast to closed platforms, where creators and businesses can become effectively trapped. If a seller builds their audience on a proprietary social service and that service restricts or removes them, moving that audience and business elsewhere is often extremely hard. WordPress provides an alternative: a platform where site owners can change hosts, modify code, and retain ownership of their content.
A brief history and the internet’s purpose
Aaron reminds listeners that the internet began as an academic, information-sharing project connecting siloed networks at universities and government agencies. That openness enabled collaboration and rapid knowledge exchange across geographic boundaries — a capability that has only grown more powerful and important. Today, the internet still makes unprecedented collaboration possible, from real-time specialist teamwork across continents to instant sharing of emerging ideas.
Open vs closed across layers
Not every layer of the internet must be open for the web to function. Hardware and some proprietary systems can coexist with open protocols. The danger comes when a single company or technology becomes the only practical route for moving or accessing information. Aaron highlights that openness matters especially where data, protocols, and the rules governing user interaction are concerned; when those layers are closed, lock-in and concentration of power follow.
Why openness is urgent today
The internet accelerates human progress by enabling global collaboration. But Aaron warns that many dominant platforms are designed primarily to maximize engagement or profit, sometimes at the expense of users, competition, or public discourse. When platforms lock audiences and data behind proprietary walls, they shrink choice, reduce accountability, and centralize influence.
Profit and sustainability
Profit itself isn’t the enemy. Aaron argues that businesses can sustainably profit from open systems while helping maintain an ecosystem where customers keep ownership of their data. Many companies make a living building on WordPress while contributing to its longevity. The problem appears when profit incentives favor lock-in and when a platform becomes the default monopoly rather than one option among many.
Protocols, competition, and interoperability
Nathan and Aaron discuss the value of building the web on open protocols rather than on isolated proprietary platforms. Protocols like ActivityPub or AT Protocol can enable different services to interoperate while allowing providers to craft distinct user experiences. Interoperability lowers lock-in and forces competition on quality instead of control of user data.
Will big platforms adopt these protocols? Aaron is skeptical that incumbents will voluntarily give up lock-in, since it’s a strategic advantage. He sees more likelihood in new platforms adopting open standards first. Incentives for larger players could include shared maintenance costs, reduced duplication, and the chance to attract users by offering a superior experience on an interoperable foundation.
Making openness the default
Turning openness into the market default is a complex challenge. Aaron calls for coordination among companies and individuals within the open web ecosystem. Initiatives like the Scale Consortium — where enterprise WordPress agencies collaborate on marketing and strategy — show how competitors can pool resources and grow the overall market. WordPress’s cooperative-competition model, where rival companies collaborate to expand the pie, is a key strength: it helps the whole ecosystem thrive.
Engaging younger generations
A tough reality: many younger people are deeply embedded in closed platforms and may not recognize the risks of lock-in until they suffer consequences. Education and awareness help, but Aaron notes that firsthand experience often drives understanding. Building alternatives that are easy to use and compelling is essential to attracting new users.
WordPress as a model
Aaron sees WordPress as a practical example of the open web in action — not perfect, but effective. For more than two decades it has demonstrated how a volunteer-driven project supported by a commercial ecosystem can encourage openness and interoperability while evolving through real-world use. Continued collaboration between volunteers and businesses, with vigilance against excessive commercial influence, will be important to sustain and grow this model.
Conclusion
The internet’s capacity for collaboration and information sharing is transformative. The tension between openness and closed, profit-driven platforms will persist, but WordPress’s model of cooperation among competitors offers a pathway to more open alternatives. If more companies and new platforms adopt open protocols and prioritize data portability, the web can remain a place of choice, accountability, and innovation. For details and resources mentioned in the conversation, see the WP Tavern podcast notes and the Scale Consortium.
