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In 1962, MIT computer scientist J.C.R. Licklider comes up with the idea for a global computer network. He later shares his idea with colleagues at the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). -
Lawrence G. Roberts later goes on to publish a plan for the ARPANET, an ARPA-funded computer network that becomes a reality in 1969. Over the following years, the ARPANET grows. -
In 1973, Robert Kahn and Vinton Cerf collaborate to develop a protocol for linking multiple networks together. This later becomes the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), a technology that links multiple networks together such that, if one network is brought down, the others do not collapse. -
Maze War existed before the internet, but early net pioneers adapted a version for use on ARPANET in 1974, making it a contender for the title of first online game -
In 1981, Metcalfe’s company 3Com announces Ethernet products for both computer workstations and personal computers; this allows for the establishment of local area networks (LANs). Paul Mockapetris, Jon Postel and Craig Partridge create the Domain Name system, which uses domain names to manage the increasing number of users on the internet. -
Dave Farber of the University of Delaware reveals a project to build an inexpensive network using dial-up phone lines. In 1982, the PhoneNet system is established and is connected to ARPANET and the first commercial network, Telenet. This broadens access to the internet and allows for email communication between multiple nations of the world. -
In 1985, the first domain is registered: symbolics.com, a domain belonging to a computer manufacturer. -
In 1990, ARPANET is decommissioned. Tim Berners-Lee and his colleagues at CERN develop hypertext markup language (HTML) and the uniform resource locator (URL), giving birth to the first incarnation of the World Wide Web. -
A watershed year for the internet comes in 1995: Microsoft launches Windows 95; Amazon, Yahoo and eBay all launch; Internet Explorer launches; and Java is created, allowing for animation on websites and creating a new flurry of internet activity. -
In 1996, Congress passes the Communications Decency Act in an effort to combat the growing amount of objectionable material on the internet. John Perry Barlow responds with an essay, A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace. -
Google is founded in 1998 -
In 1999, the music and video piracy controversy intensifies with the launch of Napster. The first internet virus capable of copying and sending itself to a user’s address book is discovered in 1999. -
A group of important tech companies forms the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance. -
The dot-com bubble bursts. Websites such as Yahoo! and eBay are hit by a large-scale denial of service attack, highlighting the vulnerability of the Internet. -
Facebook goes online and the era of social networking begins. -
Birth of YouTube.com -
Twitter launches. The company's founder, Jack Dorsey, sends out the very first tweet: "just setting up my twttr." -
The development of the iPhone started in 2005 but was officially released in 2006. -
Facebook reaches 400 million active users. -
Virtual assistants become more popular as smart speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home come on the market.