Internet Myth, Internet Truth

Though the Internet is commonly confused with the World Wide Web, the two are not the same. The Internet is a large series of networks whereas the Web is a popular system -- one of many, actually -- used to connect with this system of networks. The letters "HTTP" are telltale signs you're using the World Wide Web.

We all remember the days of slow dial-up, but the '80s and '90s aren't responsible for the Internet's first developments. Instead, the technological steps to support this worldwide phenomenon took place in the '60s.

Fictitious Congressman Schnell and his legislation Bill 602P proposed the Postal Service place a 5-cent charge on every e-mail.

A well-known myth states that all files on the Internet are free. Some companies, institutions and personal sites offer files for free while others may charge -- it depends.

Al Gore landed a spot in the public hot seat for "claiming" he invented the Internet, even though his original quote about developments of the Internet was taken out of context by the media.

The smileys :-) and sad faces :-( rampant on the Internet today were promoted by Fahlman in 1982, but the first use of emoticons was in a 1967 Reader's Digest issue in the form of a tongue-and-cheek expression with dashes and parentheses --)

Uncle Sam protects most negative speech online, but a few areas, such as the incitement of imminent lawless action and true threats, aren't protected.

Though Y2K, or the "Year 2000 problem," was less problematic than anticipated, some computers still had issues adjusting from the '90s to the first years of the 2000s.

As a rule of thumb, you should avoid opening attachments or clicking links in suspicious e-mails. But this isn't entirely true if your e-mail program automatically opens attachments for you.

If you're staying out of trouble, chances are your ISP isn't tracking you. The myth that your ISP is tracking you may become a reality, though, as government officials are pushing legislation that would require ISPs to track their customers' activities for certain periods of time.

This great wall can't be seen from outer space, but its site -- the GreatFireWallofChina.org -- gives Internet users a look at which sites aren't visible in China because of censorship.

This myth stated that the government wanted to track users' activities with keyboard loggers that track people's typing. Big Brother, anyone?

It's a myth that the Internet is housed in a few large places. Plus, since the Internet is so widespread physically, it would take a lot to completely shut it down -- at that point you'd have a lot more on your mind than the Internet.

The beauty of the Internet is that anyone can contribute to its content, but that also means some information may not be true. Fear not, there are plenty of credible Web sites still out there -- like HowStuffWorks.com.

According to a 2008 study published in American Psychologist, Internet sex crimes are more likely to be consensual encounters between an adult and an underage partner (statutory rape).

Accused of possibly shutting down the Internet with large bandwidth traffic, these "hogs" are just heavy users and are unlikely to affect the Internet.

Though Eudora Welty's Southern charm inspired the name of the Eudora software company, she was not the namesake of e-mail, or electronic mail.

Sure, your searches can be tracked with an IP address, but you should also realize that IP addresses consist of a loose description of your geographic location. IP addresses are difficult to trace back to individuals.

Your time browsing HowStuffWorks.com certainly adds up! The average U.S. adult spends 13 hours on average per week on the Internet.

Don't fall for "strike-it-rich on the Internet" scams. Many people have been successful at creating or selling things on the Internet, but their success is rare.