Welcome to a journey back in time to the early 2000s internet! This was an era when the internet was much slower, and memes were just beginning to pop up. Let’s dive into what it was like to surf the web back then!
To get online in the early 2000s, you needed to use something called dial-up. This process involved your computer’s modem connecting to a telephone line, which then connected to another modem at your internet service provider. The loud, screechy sounds you heard were the modems “talking” to each other, making sure they were connected and ready to transfer data.
The term “modem” is a combination of two words: modulator and demodulator. Modulating is when the modem changes digital information into analog signals, and demodulating is the reverse process. This whole communication process is called a “handshake,” where the modems agree on how to send and receive data.
During the 2000s, file sharing became a big deal, especially with programs like Kazaa. However, it also led to legal troubles. Between 2003 and 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued thousands of people for sharing music files illegally. One famous case involved Jamie Thomas-Rasset, who was accused of sharing 1,702 songs. After several trials, she faced hefty fines, but the case highlighted the complexities of digital copyright laws.
Instant messaging was a popular way to chat online during the 2000s. However, studies have shown that hearing a human voice can be more comforting than reading text messages. In one study, girls who spoke to their mothers in person or over the phone felt less stressed than those who communicated through instant messaging.
Neopets was a beloved website where users could care for virtual pets, play games, and explore the world of Neopia. Created in 1999 by Adam Powell and Donna Williams, Neopets quickly became a hit, with millions of users and billions of page views each month. Although its popularity has waned, Neopets remains a nostalgic memory for many who grew up in the 2000s.
The early 2000s internet was a fascinating time of innovation and change. From dial-up connections to the rise of social media, it laid the groundwork for the digital world we know today. Thanks for joining this trip down memory lane, and remember to keep exploring and learning!
Research and find audio clips of the dial-up modem sounds from the early 2000s. Create a short presentation or video that explains how these sounds represented the connection process. Share your soundtrack with the class and explain what each sound signifies in the modem’s “handshake” process.
Divide into groups and hold a debate on the pros and cons of file sharing in the early 2000s. One side will argue in favor of file sharing for its accessibility and innovation, while the other will discuss the legal and ethical issues it raised. Prepare your arguments and present them to the class.
Pair up with a classmate and role-play a conversation using both instant messaging and a phone call. Reflect on how each method of communication makes you feel and discuss which you found more effective and why. Share your experiences with the class.
Create a modern version of a Neopet, complete with a backstory and a digital drawing. Present your Neopet to the class, explaining its characteristics and how it fits into the world of Neopia. Discuss how online games like Neopets influenced social interactions in the 2000s.
Work in small groups to create a timeline of significant events related to the internet in the 2000s. Include key developments like the launch of Wikipedia, the rise of MySpace, and the impact of viral videos. Present your timeline to the class and discuss how these events shaped today’s internet.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hello and welcome to Mental Floss video! Today, we’re going to be talking about the 2000s internet, or the internet of that decade. It always sounds a bit strange to me, but we’re going back to the days when the internet was slow and memes were just starting to emerge. Let’s get started!
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What’s the first thing you had to do to use the internet in the early 2000s? Dial-up! As some of you may remember, it could take a while and it was quite loud. So, what does that dial-up noise mean? Getting onto the internet via dial-up requires two modems: your computer has a modem that connects to a telephone line, and when you dial up, you’re connecting to a modem at your internet service provider. That’s why the sound starts with a dial tone.
The modem needs to ensure that it’s on the phone line, but hold that thought because these phone lines are analog, passing signals between computers that are digital. The modems handle all of that work for you. The word “modem” comes from two words: modulator and demodulator. The modulating part is when the modem takes digital information and turns it into analog signals, while demodulating is doing the opposite.
After you dial your internet service provider, the modems communicate with each other, sort of like machine small talk. They confirm that they are communicating and agree on a protocol, which is basically the technique they’ll use to turn those bits into analog signals. The whole process is called a handshake.
The modem that receives the call disables something called echo suppression, which is important for phone calls with people, but modems don’t need that because they don’t deal with the interruptions of human conversation. Plus, echo suppression could corrupt data. Modems also test frequencies and pick transfer speeds. None of the sounds are random; as Alexis Madrigal puts it in The Atlantic, this noise was the analog world being bridged by the digital.
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Throughout the 2000s, there was a prominent case of file-sharing that became quite complicated. Between 2003 and 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued 18,000 people for file-sharing. One of those individuals was Jamie Thomas-Rasset from Brainerd, Minnesota, who allegedly participated in illegal file sharing on Kazaa. In 2006, the RIAA filed a lawsuit against Jamie for downloading and sharing 1,702 songs on Kazaa. If she wanted to settle, it would cost her $5,000, which she refused to pay, maintaining that she hadn’t downloaded the files.
In 2007, Capital Records, Inc. versus Thomas-Rasset became the first file-sharing case in the United States to go before a jury. The group of record labels sued her for 24 songs they claimed she made available on Kazaa. After two days of testimony, the jury found Jamie liable for copyright infringement, with a penalty of $222,000 total, which was $9,250 per song.
Soon after, Jamie was granted a new trial because the jury in the original case had received improperly worded instructions. She lost another case in 2009, and the jury ordered her to pay damages of $1.9 million, which a judge later lowered to $54,000. The RIAA offered Jamie another settlement: she could pay $25,000 to a music charity in exchange for having the decision removed from the record.
In 2010, the case was back in court, and a federal jury ordered her to pay $1.5 million, but the judge called that amount unreasonable and lowered it to $54,000. In 2012, the case reached the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel reinstated the original judgment of $222,000. Finally, in 2013, the Supreme Court refused to review the case, calling the 2012 decision final. As for how she would come up with the money, Jamie stated that it was not possible for them to collect, as she had no assets and was receiving energy assistance.
If you were on the internet in the 2000s, it’s very possible you were using instant messaging. However, your younger self might be surprised to learn that instant messaging is not a perfect way of communicating. Research published in 2012 studied interactions between mothers and daughters and found that hearing a human voice can be more comforting than reading messages.
The study involved 68 pairs of mothers and daughters, where the girls completed a stress test in front of an audience. Afterward, they interacted in different ways: in person, over the phone, or via instant messaging. The results showed that girls who interacted with their mothers in person or over the phone had lower stress levels compared to those who communicated through instant messaging.
Oh, the arts! I remember the first time I saw a text message; I asked the sender why they didn’t just call me. Now, I haven’t made a phone call in months!
One of the most popular websites during the 2000s was Neopets, where users cared for virtual pets, explored the world of Neopia, played mini-games, and earned virtual currency. At one point, Neopets received 2.2 billion page views each month with 25 million users. The site was created by Adam Powell and Donna Williams in November 1999 while they were students. Initially, they wanted users to be the Neopets exploring the world, but it evolved into caring for the pets.
The site was quirky in its early days and was later bought by an American company. Over the years, it faced criticism for becoming too commercialized, especially with promotions aimed at children. In 2005, Viacom purchased Neopets for $160 million, leading to merchandise like stuffed animals and trading cards. In 2014, it was bought again by Jumpstart. Neopets is still around, but it’s much less popular now, with active users estimated in the thousands.
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We’re going to end the episode with some quick facts about the 2000s internet. Tom Anderson, known as your first friend on MySpace, sold his stake in the company in 2005 for $580 million. The character Strong Bad from Homestar Runner is named after a team in a wrestling game. In 2013, Brian May of Queen collaborated on a song called “Save the Badger, Badger, Badger,” which was a protest song against badger culling in the UK.
Sean Carolyn was an early investor in the technology that became Siri, partly due to the success of a bot called SmarterChild. Zanga, a popular blogging site, managed to crowdfund $50,000 in 2014 to keep its operations going. LiveJournal was sold to a Russian media company in 2007, and as of 2015, it hosted many of Russia’s most popular blogs.
The famous “End of the World” video was created by Jason Windsor, who later reflected on its impact. Charlie the Unicorn was originally a birthday gift for the creator’s mom, who took some time to appreciate it. Wikipedia launched in early 2001 and quickly grew to 20,000 articles. Lastly, just 11 percent of Americans used the internet to follow the returns of the November 2004 election.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss video, made with the help of all these wonderful people. Please subscribe to our channel for more interesting videos, and as they say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
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This version removes any inappropriate language and maintains the essence of the original content.
Dial-up – A type of internet connection that uses a telephone line to connect to the internet, which was common before broadband technology. – In the 1990s, many people used dial-up to access the internet, which often meant waiting for the phone line to be free.
Modem – A device that converts digital data from a computer into a format that can be transmitted over telephone lines and vice versa. – To connect to the internet using dial-up, you needed a modem to translate the signals.
File Sharing – The practice of distributing or providing access to digital media, such as documents, music, or videos, over the internet. – Students often use file sharing to collaborate on group projects by exchanging documents online.
Instant Messaging – A form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text, often used in online chat rooms or messaging apps. – Instant messaging allows friends to chat quickly without the need for a phone call.
Neopets – An online virtual pet community where users can adopt and care for digital pets, popular in the early 2000s. – Many teenagers enjoyed playing Neopets, where they could feed and play games with their virtual pets.
Copyright – A legal right that grants the creator of original work exclusive rights to its use and distribution, usually for a limited time. – When creating a website, it’s important to respect copyright laws by not using images without permission.
Communication – The exchange of information or ideas through various means, such as speaking, writing, or using digital platforms. – Email has become a vital form of communication in both personal and professional settings.
Internet – A global network of interconnected computers that allows users to access and share information worldwide. – The internet has revolutionized how we access information, making it possible to learn about any topic with a few clicks.
Memes – Humorous images, videos, or text that are copied and spread rapidly by internet users, often with slight variations. – Memes have become a popular way for people to express humor and share cultural references online.
Digital – Involving or relating to the use of computer technology, especially the internet, to store, process, and transmit information. – Digital cameras have largely replaced film cameras, allowing for instant photo sharing.
