Web standards are like the rules and guidelines that ensure everyone follows the same road signs and traffic rules when driving on the internet. They are a set of guidelines and specifications that are designed to make sure that different web technologies work well together and deliver consistent experiences for users. It's a bit like having universal standards for road signs and traffic signals, so that no matter where you drive, you understand what they mean. Web standards help developers create websites and web applications that are reliable and compatible across various devices and browsers. They're like the building blocks that make the internet a smooth and consistent experience for everyone.