The document discusses the history and development of the internet over the past 50 years, from its origins as a US military program called ARPANET to the commercialization of the world wide web in the 1990s. It grew exponentially from the 1980s onward and became a major force in communications, business, and society through new technologies and greater public access to computers and online content. The internet has profoundly shaped modern life and continues to rapidly evolve and impact nearly all aspects of the global community.