Internet culture refers to the shared practices, norms, and language developed among frequent users within online communities, mediated by digital screens and information technology. Its foundations predate widespread internet access, drawing significant influence from offline subcultures like amateur radio, gaming, and hacker culture, which instilled a spirit of decentralization and a "Wild West" rejection of regulation.
Initially, digital culture was heavily Anglophone due to early computer technology's reliance on English, though this has shifted considerably, with English content dropping from approximately 80% in the 1990s to about 52.9% by 2018. From its origins as ARPANET in the early 1970s, connecting a few universities for textual information exchange, this culture has continuously evolved. The introduction of smartphones and expanding global infrastructure have further increased internet users, proliferating and expanding online communities while ensuring Internet culture remains distinct yet interconnected with offline influences.