In 1977, a map of ARPANET, the precursor to the internet, displayed the 111 computer terminals connected to the network. Gary Thuerk sent the first spam email in the same year, promoting a new computer system. The first recorded use of a smiley on the internet was in 1982, distinguishing between jokes and serious posts. In 1983, The Hacker’s Dictionary became a reference for hackers and computer scientists. Usenet, a more accessible alternative to ARPANET, allowed users to share articles in topic-specific newsgroups by 1985. The first MP3, “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega, was created in 1987. The 1988 Morris Worm spread on the internet, leading to the first conviction under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Chain letters, internet relay chat (IRC), and the acronym “LOL” all emerged in the late ’80s. America Online (AOL) debuted in 1991 as the largest dial-up service provider. Tim Berners-Lee launched the first-ever website, and the first photo and webcam followed suit in 1992 and 1993, respectively. Severe Tire Damage became the first band to livestream
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