THE Internet, considered the network of networks, connects two-thirds of humanity, including a significant portion of Malaysians. What role does the web play in our lives, and how do Internet Exchange operators like DE-CIX handle the growing global data flow? Here are 10 facts about the Internet you should know.
1. When was the Internet invented?
In 1985, the Internet came to Malaysia with the establishment of the Rangkaian Komputer Malaysia (RangKoM). The Internet's origins trace back to 1957 when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite.
In response, the US Department of Defense founded the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA).
Twelve years later, Arpanet, the precursor to today's Internet, was created with a decentralised, distributed structure. This "network of networks" was formally named "Internet" in 1974.
2. How many networks make up the Internet?
Today, the Internet comprises more than 117,000 autonomous sub-networks identifiable by Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs).
These ASNs include Internet service providers (ISPs), telecommunications companies, social media networks, streaming services, e-commerce platforms, cloud networks, and website hosts. Malaysia has 288 ASNs. Internet Exchanges (IXs) are crucial, acting like airports for data packets.
3. How many websites are on the Internet?
Around 1.1 billion websites exist today, but only about 200 million are active.
The first website was launched on Aug 6, 1991, by British physicist Tim Berners-Lee at CERN in Switzerland. He invented the World Wide Web (WWW) in 1989 to share information. The WWW is a service that runs on the Internet.
4. How many emails are sent a year?
In 2024, an estimated 131.4 trillion emails will be sent and received, according to The Radicati Group. That's more than 360 billion emails per day, 15 billion per hour, 250 million per minute, and about 4.1 million per second. Nearly half of these emails are spam, with the trend showing an increase to 143.3 trillion emails by 2026.
5. How many Internet users are there?
Around 5.4 billion people were online in 2023.
The International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency, reports rapid growth from around one billion users in 2005. In 2023, two-thirds of the global population was online, including 97.4 per cent of Malaysia's 34.49 million people.
6. How many domains are on the Internet?
By the end of 2023, around 360 million domains were registered worldwide, growing annually by 8.9 million entries (2.5 per cent). The most popular top-level domains are .com (160 million registrations), .cn (over 20 million), and .de (about 18 million).
Domains are unique names assigned to specific Internet addresses. The .my domain was established on June 8, 1987, with 288,432 registrations to date.
7. How much data is there on the Internet?
In 2023, around 126 zettabytes of data were generated, stored, duplicated and processed worldwide, according to IDC. This is equivalent to nine trillion two-hour 4K movies. By 2027, IDC expects this amount to more than double to around 284 zettabytes.
8. What role does the Internet play in people's lives?
In Malaysia, the Internet is mainly used to search for information, stay updated on news, and keep in touch with relatives and friends. It also plays a significant role in businesses, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
Businesses use the Internet for market insights, AI, cloud storage, and customer interaction. The Internet helps establish businesses and attract prospects by building user trust.
9. How much money is made from the Internet?
In Malaysia, e-commerce and online advertising generate substantial revenues. Two-thirds of Malaysians shop online through their mobile phones. By the end of 2023, Malaysian e-commerce market profits were expected to be around RM41 billion, with a projected rise of 13.26 per cent over the next four years.
10. Who owns the Internet, and can it be shut down?
The Internet is a network of networks with decentralised ownership. Various entities, including companies, governments, individuals and organisations, operate small pieces of infrastructure that form a larger whole based on shared protocols and standards.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) coordinates the allocation of domains, IP addresses and ASNs.
In Malaysia, the government and public sector are working to develop a digital economy through initiatives like MyDigital, aiming for a high-income digital economy by 2030.
The Internet cannot be completely shut down due to its interconnected autonomous sub-networks; only local or regional interruptions are possible.