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With the popularization of websites like YouTube and Twitter, users began to interact with the Internet in a much bigger way. Content creation was now no longer barred by one’s technical ability and was incentivized for all users of social media platforms. Content quickly became the new form of communication.

People used to bring their niche subcultures and their interests into the new and exciting Internet, but then, the Internet became the dominant form of communication. Now, communities and cultures are mostly formed through Internet posts.

Companies began to take a much larger online presence, finally seeing the staying power and influence the Internet had as a medium for mass-communication. Ads on social media platforms became just as valuable as they were on TV.

As bandwidth size increased, so did the size of content that could be shared. Most modern websites host high-definition video and people can download 100+ gigabyte games in only a few minutes. Ideas became more disposable as the space they took up mattered less and less.

When the Internet turned to a more centralized structure with fewer overall platforms, ideas spread much further and much faster than before. Content became designed to appeal to as many people as possible rather than the few that would be able to see it.

The evolution of the Internet has made information widely available to people all around the world. It’s also streamlined the way that information is distributed, and made it so anyone can distribute any information that they want. Whether or not bringing people together in this way will be good for society long-term is yet to be seen, but understanding how the medium grows and changes can help point us in the right direction.