W3C Standard

We will implement Web Annotation Data Model as a web standard for this project.

This approach is useful for the search results page of our project in which users are shown information grabbed from Wikipedia. By letting them share their opinions, we will provide a more interactive environment.

1. What is the Web Annotation Data Model?

The Web Annotation Data Model is a framework created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for sharing annotations on web pages. It allows users to attach comments to digital content in a standardized way.

Benefits of Using the Web Annotation Data Model:

•	Interoperability: Allows different platforms and applications to interpret and work with annotations consistently across systems.
•	Consistency: Provides a standardized structure.

By using this model, more collaborative interactions with web resources can be achieved.

2. Requirements for Following the Standard

To comply with the Web Annotation Data Model, an application or system should meet the following requirements:

•	Adhere to Core Concepts: The model defines essential concepts, such as Annotation, Target, and Body. An annotation must have at least a Target (the resource being annotated) and, optionally, a Body (the content of the annotation itself).
•	Use Standard Properties: The model specifies properties, such as creator, created, modified, and purpose, to provide detailed information about annotations. 
•	JSON-LD Format: Annotations should be represented using JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data), which ensures they can be interpreted as Linked Data, making them easily shareable and accessible in a web context.

3. Enforcing the Standard in Practice

To ensure compliance with the Web Annotation Data Model, we can take the following steps:

•	Implement Validation Mechanisms: Create or utilize validation tools that check if annotations meet the model’s requirements (e.g., correct JSON-LD structure, required properties). This helps ensure that only valid annotations are saved or shared.

By following these practices, the project can effectively use the Web Annotation Data Model to create a robust, interoperable annotation system.