Imagine a web where you decide where your data is stored and who can access it. That's the future the W3C Linked Web Storage Working Group is building.
Linked Web Storage is a new approach to how data is handled on the web. It aims to give you more control over your personal information by allowing you to choose where your data is stored and who can access it.
The W3C is actively developing the LWS Protocol specification, which defines standard interactions for secure and permissioned access to externally stored data. This protocol includes authentication, authorization, and resource management capabilities that enable true user-controlled data storage on the web.
Currently, when you use most web services, your data is stored and controlled by the service provider. This can limit your ability to switch between services or control who has access to your information. Linked Web Storage aims to change that, giving you more freedom and control.
Latest Update: June 2025
The W3C has published the first LWS Protocol specification draft, marking significant progress in defining the technical standards for user-controlled data storage.
The W3C Linked Web Storage Working Group is working on this from September 2024 to September 2026. With the protocol specification now in active development, we're seeing concrete progress toward a more user-centric web. While it may take some time before these changes are widely adopted, this work is laying the foundation for true data ownership and control.