The History of the Internet and its Future
As the man responsible for the development of the modern Internet, you could forgive Tim Berners-Lee for resting on his laurels as he approaches his retirement.
Instead, Berners-Lee is waging a global campaign to save the Web from the machinations of its users, with the abuse, discrimination and the circulation of fake news online continuing to have a destructive impact on society.
We’ll discuss this further below, while charting the history of the Internet and considering its future.
Then and Now – A History of the Internet
Interestingly, the history of the Internet can be traced back to the 1950s, where the initial concept of Wide Area Networking (WAN) originating in the U.S., France and the UK. This type of global network allows for communication over a large geographical distance, and is the very premise on which the World Wide Web was built.
During the 1960s, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded contacts for the development of the so-called ARPANET project, through which messages could be sent between specified nodes within the network. The idea of remote communication and connectivity was a key focus of defence systems at the time, as various military bodies sought out covert ways of sharing sensitive information.
It was during the 1980s that the technology took a more decisive turn, when Berners-Lee led a project at CERN in Switzerland that resulted in the birth of the World Wide Web.
The formative version of this ground-breaking technology linked hypertext documents into an information system, with this data accessible from any node on the network. This led to the formation of the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP), which was a standardised network that allowed for the worldwide proliferation of interconnected networks.
This was further expanded four years later, when the National Science Foundation Network (NSFNet) provided access to super-computer sites across the U.S.. It was in the late 1980s that the world’s first commercial Internet service providers entered the market, ushering in the age of the modern Internet in the process.
What’s Next for the Internet?
Of course, the modern World Wide Web is almost unrecognisable from its original form, with the online space defined by millions of private networks and an ever-expanding range of websites.
As a result, access to the Internet is now universal, while the range of content and channels available continues to provide opportunities for individuals and businesses alike.
It’s the manipulation of the Web that has concerned people like Berners-Lee, however, with its anonymity and global reach making it a breeding ground for fake news, abuse and continued political manipulation.
With these trends increasingly prevalent, Berners-Lee and a number of large organisations are looking to take action, by creating a “Contract for the Web” that safeguards people’s rights and freedoms when online. This could prove crucial to the future of the Internet, which must adapt if it’s to combat the challenges facing it in the modern age.
About the Author:
Rupesh Singh is freelance writer and founder of moneyoutline.com You can follow him on Google + & Facebook.
