Lesson 15 — Activity 1: Uses of the Internet



Image courtesy of Pixabay
A very popular form of media is the Internet. Over three billion people have access to the Internet. Since its founding in 1989, the World Wide Web has touched the lives of billions of people around the world, and it has changed how we connect with others, the nature of our work, how we discover and share news and new ideas, and how we entertain ourselves.

Here are some interesting statistics about the history of the Internet:

  • In the early 1960s, there were very few computers throughout the world and those in existence cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to build.
  • In the early 1970s, companies began to develop e-mail systems to communicate within the workplace.
  • In 1977, the Apple II computer entered the marketplace, making computers more available to individuals and small businesses.
  • In 1984, the domain name system was developed and the ".com" era was born. Other domains were also developed including .edu and .gov.
  • In 1984, Apple's Macintosh computer came on the market and again led to an increase in the number of computer users worldwide.
  • In the early 1990s, over 100 countries with over 600,000 hosts and 5,000 networks were connected.
  • In 1991, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) released the World Wide Web (WWW).
  • In 1991, shopping malls, banks, radio stations, and advertising become commonplace online.
  • In 1991, companies like CompuServe and American Online began to provide online connections through traditional dial-up services. Households across the world went online.
  • In 1998, Google opened its first office in California.
  • Bill Gates introduced the Xbox on January 7, 2001.
  • In 2003, Apple Computer introduced Apple iTunes Music Store, which allowed people to download songs for .99 cents each.
  • On February 4, 2004, Facebook was launched by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow Harvard University students.
  • In 2005, YouTube.com was launched.
  • In 2006, Twitter was launched.
  • In 2007, Apple released the first iPhone.
  • In 2012, Facebook reached 1 billion monthly active users, making it the dominant social network worldwide.
  • In 2013, a majority (56%) of Americans owned a smartphone of some kind.
  • In 2014, 45% of Internet users ages 18 –29 in serious relationships said the Internet has had an impact on their relationship.


A system that started out as a research project about 50 years ago has become a major source of information for people today. The Internet gets a great deal of use every day in many homes, libraries, cafes, and workplaces world wide.

Today, the Internet is used to exchange information with friends and business workers. It has become part of our everyday lives, whether we are working or socializing. We have become dependent on the Internet to help us in our lives every day.


Top 10 Uses of the Internet

  1. communication
  2. research
  3. education
  4. financial transactions (e.g., online banking)
  5. real-time updates (e.g., news, etc.)
  6. entertainment
  7. online booking (e.g., trips, concert tickets, etc.)
  8. job search
  9. blogging
  10. shopping



Self-check!

Click here to download a checklist where you will rate your Top 10 uses of the Internet.

Digging Deeper!

Click on the Play button below to watch a video about amazing Internet Facts!