The Exciting History of the Internet: From the First Computers to Social Media

The history of the Internet begins with the first computers in the 1940s. Back then, computers were enormous machines filling entire rooms, primarily used for scientific and military purposes.
ENIAC (1945) and Z3 (1941) are milestones in early computer development.
Communication between computers didn’t exist yet; everything had to be transferred via punch cards or magnetic tapes.
The idea of exchanging information electronically emerged slowly and was driven in the 1960s by scientific visionaries such as J.C.R. Licklider, who was the first to talk about an “intergalactic network.”
⚙ beginning

ARPANET was created in 1969 by the US Department of Defense and is the direct precursor to today’s Internet.
Its aim was to connect research computers at universities and maintain communication even during failures.
The first message on ARPANET was sent on October 29, 1969 from UCLA to Stanford—and it was just the word “LO,” as the system crashed while trying to send “LOGIN.”
The first four connected universities were UCLA, Stanford, UC Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah. ARPANET used the still-relevant TCP/IP protocol, which laid the foundation for global communication.
⚙ arpanet

Year	Event
1941	Z3 – First functioning computer (Konrad Zuse)
1969	ARPANET goes live
1972	First email sent
1983	Introduction of TCP/IP in ARPANET
1989	Tim Berners-Lee designs the World Wide Web
1993	First graphical web browser (Mosaic)
1998	Google is founded
2004	Facebook launches
2007	First iPhone; beginning of mobile Internet
2020s	Ubiquitous Wi-Fi and cloud services

- The Internet theoretically weighs about as much as a strawberry, considering the energy of transmitted electrons.
- The first spam email was sent in 1978.
- Over 5 billion people worldwide are now online.
- The “WWW” in browsers accounts for about 23% of the time when typing, but many browsers recognize it automatically.
- The first tweet on Twitter was posted by Jack Dorsey on March 21, 2006: “just setting up my twttr”.
⚙ funfacts

With the spread of Wi-Fi (Wireless Local Area Network), the Internet became mobile from the 2000s onward. Wi-Fi enables wireless access to the Internet in homes, businesses, and public buildings.
The launch of the first iPhone in 2007 further revolutionized the Internet: Now users could be online anytime, anywhere.
Modern smartphones offer fast Internet access via LTE or 5G, high-performance cameras, and unlimited access to information and communication. This fundamentally changed the way people work, learn, and spend their leisure time.
⚙ mobile

The development of social media has greatly changed our lives.
Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (now X), TikTok, and YouTube shape the everyday routine of many people. They allow the exchange of messages, photos, videos, and ideas worldwide.
Information spreads at lightning speed. With hashtags, memes, and viral trends, new forms of social interaction are emerging.
Social media influences not only friendships and families, but also politics, the economy, and culture.
At the same time, issues of privacy and digital responsibility are at the forefront of current debates.
⚙ socialmedia

The Internet is evolving rapidly: Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and virtual reality are already part of everyday life.
More and more devices are connected—from refrigerators to cars. Cloud services and streaming make content available everywhere.
Society is discussing opportunities and risks such as privacy, fake news, and digital divides.
One thing is clear: The Internet will continue to fundamentally change our lives—it will definitely remain exciting.
⚙ outlook