A highly publicized fashion show is streamed online; it is so popular that it crashes the servers, proving that the web isn’t quite ready for “mass-broadcast” video yet. Part of the 19 Internet Evolution Facts:… Read More »The Victoria’s Secret Webcast
As 1999 approaches, internet forums and news sites become flooded with theories about the Year 2000 bug, driving massive investment in IT infrastructure and software updates. Part of the 17 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1998 Edition… Read More »Y2K Anxiety Begins to Peak
The Portable Network Graphics (PNG) 1.0 specification is released as a patent-free alternative to the GIF, improving web image quality. Part of the 18 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1997 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
The “Under Construction” banner and dancing torches become ubiquitous on personal homepages (GeoCities), defining the visual aesthetic of the 90s web. Part of the 17 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1996 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Brendan Eich at Netscape develops “LiveScript” in just 10 days, later renamed JavaScript. It becomes the essential language for making web pages interactive. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1995 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
A French video-sharing website launches just weeks after YouTube, emphasizing localized European content and creative independent video hosting. Part of the 20 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2005 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Cybercriminals ramp up sophisticated email attacks targeting major banking institutions. The rise forces global internet services to implement advanced email authentication protocols. Part of the 18 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2004 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Tensions in the Middle East and elsewhere lead to the first significant instances of “hacktivism” and website defacements, showing that geopolitical conflicts have moved into the digital realm. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts:… Read More »The First “Cyberwarfare” Concerns
Shigetaka Kurita creates the first set of 176 emojis for the Japanese mobile system i-mode, laying the visual alphabet for future global communication. Part of the 19 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1999 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Matt Drudge uses his website to break news about the Monica Lewinsky scandal, proving for the first time that a single person with a website can compete with major news networks. Part of the 17… Read More »The Drudge Report and the Clinton Scandal