History of the Internet: From Birth to Interconnectivity

history of the internet

As people of the modern age, we definitely take the internet for granted. True, some of us may remember a time when we couldn’t just google an answer. But, for the majority of people in the developed world we could not imagine our day to day lives without the world wide web. In today’s blog, we’ll look at the history of the internet from its humble beginnings to the sprawling empire it is in this century. 

The Birth

On the evening of October 29th 1969, a simple message was transferred from one computer to another more than 350 miles away. Consequently, the receiving computer crashed immediately after. But, it was the start of the history of the internet.

At the time, this new network was called ARPANET. Funded by the military, their goal was to be able to command and control computers remotely in case of a nuclear attack. After all, this was during the cold war and a man-made apocalypse was on the mind of every American. On top of this goal was the computer scientists’ own mission. They wanted to be able to access information on a certain computer from any machine around the world. Hence, the need for electronic messages. 

The History of The Internet

From that monumental day, the journey of the internet kept gaining momentum. 

The Internet Today: Social Media

In the history of the internet, we currently stand in the era of social media. A beacon of interconnectivity (for better or for worse), these applications and websites have carved a substantial amount of space for themselves in the internet. However, they do pose questions of privacy and identity. And, raise concerns about what laws will protect individuals as the internet continues to grow and evolve. 

The Future of the Internet

In 2010, the first interlink was sent into low earth orbit. Its hope was to reach those in space stations around the earth. However, space enthusiast also dream further. They wish to reach those even outside of our known universe. The future of the internet is one that continues to reach for connection. Its interface might change, and its morals brought into question, but it still relies of the human impulse to feel part of a community. 

About the Author

Lydia B.

Lydia B.

Lydia B. is a Marketing Coordinator and Music Club Coach for Gooroo, a tutoring membership that matches students to tutors perfect for them based on their unique learning needs. Gooroo offers Math, English, SAT, Coding, Spanish tutoring, and more.