What is the Semantic Web?

In the context of FOLIO and legal information systems, understanding the Semantic Web is crucial for appreciating how multiple legal standards can be connected and made interoperable.

What is the Semantic Web?

The Semantic Web is an extension of the World Wide Web that aims to make web content more meaningful and processable by machines, not just humans. Developed by Tim Berners-Lee (the inventor of the Web), the Semantic Web provides a common framework that allows data to be shared and reused across application, enterprise, and community boundaries.

Think of the traditional web as a collection of documents meant for human consumption. The Semantic Web transforms this into a “web of data” where information is given well-defined meaning, enabling computers to more intelligently work with that information.

Key Components of the Semantic Web

The Semantic Web is built on several key technologies and standards:

  1. URI/IRI: Unique identifiers for resources, similar to URLs but broader in scope.
  2. RDF: Resource Description Framework, providing a standard model for data interchange.
  3. RDFS: RDF Schema, offering basic vocabulary for describing RDF properties and classes.
  4. OWL: Web Ontology Language, providing more extensive vocabulary and formal semantics.
  5. SKOS: Simple Knowledge Organization System, supporting representation of taxonomies and thesauri.
  6. SPARQL: A query language for retrieving and manipulating RDF data.

How FOLIO Uses the Semantic Web

FOLIO leverages Semantic Web technologies to implement its modular and federated approach to legal standards:

  • Standard Identifiers: FOLIO uses IRIs to uniquely identify legal concepts across different jurisdictions and systems.
  • Linked Data: Legal concepts in FOLIO are connected through semantic relationships, allowing users to navigate from one concept to related ones.
  • Interoperable Standards: The use of Semantic Web technologies allows FOLIO to integrate multiple legal standards while maintaining their independence.

For example, when a court case in the United States cites a provision of the GDPR (a European regulation), FOLIO can represent this connection through Semantic Web links, even though these are concepts from different legal systems and standards.

The Semantic Web approach provides several key advantages for legal systems:

  1. Cross-jurisdiction Interoperability: Legal concepts from different jurisdictions can be linked while preserving their distinct characteristics.
  2. Reduced Ambiguity: Formal semantics helps reduce ambiguity in legal terminology.
  3. Enhanced Search Capabilities: Semantic search can find concepts based on their meaning, not just keywords.
  4. Integration of Multiple Standards: Different legal standards can be integrated without requiring complete standardization.

The Semantic Web and FOLIO’s Federated Approach

The Semantic Web aligns perfectly with FOLIO’s federated approach to legal standards. It allows:

  • Different organizations to maintain their standards independently
  • Standards to evolve at their own pace
  • Connections between related concepts across standards
  • Migration paths between different standards

This enables a “web of legal standards” rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach.

Explore the FOLIO Taxonomy

Browse the complete FOLIO taxonomy through our interactive browser.

Explore Taxonomy →

Further Reading

To deepen your understanding of the technologies that power FOLIO and the Semantic Web:

  • What is RDF? - Learn about the data model that forms the foundation of the Semantic Web
  • What is SKOS? - Understand how taxonomies are represented in the Semantic Web
  • What is OWL? - Explore the language used to define rich ontologies