Looks at the origins and evolution of the Internet.
This paper discusses the development of the Internet, its original purpose, how it has impacted modern society, legal and ethical issues concerning the Internet, and why its widespread use is both advantageous and problematic.
“As little as a decade ago, if someone tried to explain the Internet and World Wide Web, it would have been difficult if not impossible to understand. People would be as incredulous as they were when John F. Kennedy talked about landing on the moon. Computers were just beginning to become popular and few individuals realized the capacity of one PC, let alone the power of a network of electronic technology. By tying together computers, users could remotely access others on the network and share information, educate and inform, send electronic mail, download data, and buy and sell products as easily as pushing a button. However, as with any new technology there are two sides of the story: use and misuse. And the story does not read any different with this invention of the super highway. The unlimited means of this infrastructure as well as the speed in which it has permeated societies all over the world raises many ethical and legal questions, a large number that still go unanswered.”