Internet: Difference between revisions
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|image = | |image = | ||
|aka = | |aka = | ||
|type = Worldwide [[computer]] network | |type = Worldwide [[computer]] network, [[Dalek drone]]-creation plot | ||
|origin = [[Earth]], [[Gendar (planet)|Gendar]] | |origin = [[Earth]], [[Gendar (planet)|Gendar]] | ||
|used by = [[Human]]s, [[the Doctor]], [[Gendar (species)|Gendar]] | |used by = [[Human]]s, [[the Doctor]], [[Gendar (species)|Gendar]], [[Dalek]]s | ||
|first = | |first = | ||
|appearances = | |appearances = | ||
|clip = The Doctor meets modern Clara - Doctor Who - The Bells of St John - Series 7 - BBC | |clip = The Doctor meets modern Clara - Doctor Who - The Bells of St John - Series 7 - BBC | ||
}}{{you may|World Wide Web}} | }}{{you may|World Wide Web}} | ||
'''Internets''' were worldwide [[computer]] networks on [[Earth]] and [[Gendar (planet)|Gendar]]. The network on Earth is usually described as "the Internet". | |||
== On Earth == | == On Earth == | ||
=== Creation and overview === | === Creation and overview === | ||
[[Earth]]'s Internet was developed at some point after [[1973]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Verdigris (novel)|Verdigris]]'') described by the [[Fourth Doctor]] as "a [[21st century]] [[human]] obsession". ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Energy of the Daleks (audio story)|Energy of the Daleks]]'') According to [[Iris Wildthyme]], you could get "anything" from the Internet. Iris was rather fond of the [[World Wide Web]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Verdigris (novel)|Verdigris]]'') | [[Earth]]'s Internet was developed at some point after [[1973]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Verdigris (novel)|Verdigris]]'') described by the [[Fourth Doctor]] as "a [[21st century]] [[human]] obsession". ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Energy of the Daleks (audio story)|Energy of the Daleks]]'') | ||
[[Clive Finch]] believed that [[WOTAN]] had developed the Internet. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Rose (novelisation)|Rose]]'') Alternatively, the [[Twelfth Doctor]] knew the internet was actually a scheme created by the [[Dalek]]s and [[Dalek Emperor (The Twelfth Doctor's been Timejacked!)|their Emperor]] to change humanity into [[Dalek drone]]s through the sheer levels of "wit, ego, and hatred" spread across the web. ([[WC]]: ''[[The Twelfth Doctor's been Timejacked! (webcast)|The Twelfth Doctor's been Timejacked!]]'') | |||
According to [[Iris Wildthyme]], you could get "anything" from the Internet. Iris was rather fond of the [[World Wide Web]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Verdigris (novel)|Verdigris]]'') | |||
The Internet was a useful [[research]] tool, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dying Days (novel)|The Dying Days]]'', ''[[Instruments of Darkness (novel)|Instruments of Darkness]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'') as well as a repository for [[entertainment]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Beachhead (audio story)|Beachhead]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Resolution (TV story)|Resolution]]'') [[pornography]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Artificial Intelligence (short story)|Artificial Intelligence]]'') and a place for [[trade]] and [[commerce]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Random Shoes (TV story)|Random Shoes]]'', ''[[Resolution (TV story)|Resolution]]'') | The Internet was a useful [[research]] tool, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dying Days (novel)|The Dying Days]]'', ''[[Instruments of Darkness (novel)|Instruments of Darkness]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'') as well as a repository for [[entertainment]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Beachhead (audio story)|Beachhead]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Resolution (TV story)|Resolution]]'') [[pornography]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Artificial Intelligence (short story)|Artificial Intelligence]]'') and a place for [[trade]] and [[commerce]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Random Shoes (TV story)|Random Shoes]]'', ''[[Resolution (TV story)|Resolution]]'') | ||
According to the Fourth Doctor, the Internet was also sometimes used for "nefarious purposes", especially in its infancy. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Darkness of Glass (audio story)|The Darkness of Glass]]'') Internet users were distrustful of others, as potential predators. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Rose (novelisation)|Rose]]'') | According to the Fourth Doctor, the Internet was also sometimes used for "nefarious purposes", especially in its infancy. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Darkness of Glass (audio story)|The Darkness of Glass]]'') Internet users were distrustful of others, as potential predators. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Rose (novelisation)|Rose]]'') | ||
[[Internet café]]s existed by [[1997]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dying Days (novel)|The Dying Days]]'') | [[Internet café]]s existed by [[1997]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dying Days (novel)|The Dying Days]]'') | ||
=== 2000s === | === 2000s === | ||
In the [[2000s]], purchases could by made online, through [[eBay]]; ([[TV]]: | In the [[2000s]], purchases could by made online, through [[eBay]]; ([[TV]]: {{cs|Random Shoes (TV story)}}, [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Cuddlesome (audio story)}}, {{cs|Fallout (audio story)}}) by the late [[2010s]], one could find almost any item online. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Resolution (TV story)}}) | ||
[[ | [[UNIT United Kingdom|UNIT]] maintained [[UNIT website|a website]] with restricted access sections that allowed remote launch of non-nuclear [[United Kingdom|UK]] missiles. ([[TV]]: {{cs|World War Three (TV story)}}) | ||
[[search-wise.net]] was a search engine operational in [[2005]]. [[Rose Tyler]] used it to look for information about [[the Doctor]], which led her to [[ | [[search-wise.net]] was a search engine operational in [[2005]]. [[Rose Tyler]] used it to look for information about [[the Doctor]], which led her to [[Doctor Who?]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Rose (TV story)}}) | ||
During Rose's disappearance between 2005 and [[2006]], [[Mickey Smith]] tracked information about the Doctor. ([[TV]]: | During Rose's disappearance between 2005 and [[2006]], [[Mickey Smith]] tracked information about the Doctor. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Aliens of London (TV story)}}) The [[Ninth Doctor]], realising this would make him noticed, devised [[Computer virus (World War Three)|a computer virus]] to delete all references to him from the Internet, and asked Mickey to run the program, ([[TV]]: {{cs|World War Three (TV story)}}) although he couldn't bring himself to use it. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Hoax This! (short story)}}) | ||
In 2006, Mr [[Cleaver (Boom Town)|Cleaver]] put up his concerns about the safety of the [[Blaidd Drwg]] nuclear power plant on the Internet. [[Cathy Salt]] discovered these results. ([[TV]]: | In 2006, Mr [[Cleaver (Boom Town)|Cleaver]] put up his concerns about the safety of the [[Blaidd Drwg]] nuclear power plant on the Internet. [[Cathy Salt]] discovered these results. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Boom Town (TV story)}}) | ||
[[Julian Delaware]] explained to a revived [[WOTAN]] in [[2007]] that people around the world were already "halfway" to being properly enslaved to their screens, meaning much of their work was already done. WOTAN was prepared to connect all the Earth's [[computer]]s, toward achieving world domination, not knowing humans had already achieved this for themselves. Julian also made WOTAN accessible via [[3G]] and [[Bluetooth]]. ([[AUDIO]]: | [[Julian Delaware]] explained to a revived [[WOTAN]] in [[2007]] that people around the world were already "halfway" to being properly enslaved to their screens, meaning much of their work was already done. WOTAN was prepared to connect all the Earth's [[computer]]s, toward achieving world domination, not knowing humans had already achieved this for themselves. Julian also made WOTAN accessible via [[3G]] and [[Bluetooth]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Law Machines (audio story)}}) | ||
By this point, [[dial-up internet]] had become outdated. ([[AUDIO]]: | By this point, [[dial-up internet]] had become outdated. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Law Machines (audio story)}}) | ||
In [[2008]], the [[Eleventh Doctor]] used a webchat feature to communicate with a number of world organisations using [[Jeff Angelo]]'s laptop; he later advised Jeff to delete his Internet history. ([[TV]]: | In [[2008]], the [[Eleventh Doctor]] used a webchat feature to communicate with a number of world organisations using [[Jeff Angelo]]'s laptop; he later advised Jeff to delete his Internet history. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Eleventh Hour (TV story)}}) | ||
=== 2010s === | === 2010s === | ||
| Line 49: | Line 51: | ||
Also in 2012, the [[Fourth Doctor]] instructed [[Sarah Jane Smith]] and [[Harry Sullivan]] to browse the internet at a [[Prague]] internet café for any information on a Mr [[Drak (The Dragons of Prague)|Drak]]. He later scolded them for not thinking of translating the words "Bojan Novak" and "Ctislav" into [[English language|English]] while they were there. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dragons of Prague (short story)|The Dragons of Prague]]'') | Also in 2012, the [[Fourth Doctor]] instructed [[Sarah Jane Smith]] and [[Harry Sullivan]] to browse the internet at a [[Prague]] internet café for any information on a Mr [[Drak (The Dragons of Prague)|Drak]]. He later scolded them for not thinking of translating the words "Bojan Novak" and "Ctislav" into [[English language|English]] while they were there. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Dragons of Prague (short story)|The Dragons of Prague]]'') | ||
By [[2013]], nearly everyone had some form of [[social media]] account. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Bells of Saint John (TV story)|The Bells of Saint John]]'') | By [[2013]], nearly everyone had some form of [[social media]] account. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Bells of Saint John (TV story)|The Bells of Saint John]]'') | ||
In [[2016]], [[ | In [[2016]], [[Andrea Quill]] remarked of the internet, ''"Have you seen what [[human|this species]] puts about themselves online? So much [[genitalia]]."'' ([[TV]]: ''[[The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo (TV story)|The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo]]'') She also used it to look at [[cat]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]])'' | ||
By [[2017]] during his time as a lecturer at [[St Luke's University]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Pilot (TV story)|The Pilot]], [[Knock Knock (TV story)|Knock Knock]]'') the [[Twelfth Doctor]] | By [[2017]] during his time as a lecturer at [[St Luke's University]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Pilot (TV story)|The Pilot]], [[Knock Knock (TV story)|Knock Knock]]'') the [[Twelfth Doctor]] revealed to someone that the Daleks were behind the internet. He promised to put a stop to their plan "sooner or later" but, in the meantime, was in the midst of another adventure. ([[WC]]: ''[[The Twelfth Doctor's been Timejacked! (webcast)|The Twelfth Doctor's been Timejacked!]]'') | ||
On [[New Year's Day]] [[2019]], a lone [[Reconnaissance Dalek]] took over the [[GCHQ|Government Communications Headquarters]] of [[Great Britain]]. In order to divert enough power to make a transmission to [[Skaro]], the Dalek shut down the country's [[Wi-Fi]], [[Telephone|phone]] signals and Internet to power the transmission. ([[TV]]: ''[[Resolution (TV story)|Resolution]]'') | On [[New Year's Day]] [[2019]], a lone [[Reconnaissance Dalek]] took over the [[GCHQ|Government Communications Headquarters]] of [[Great Britain]]. In order to divert enough power to make a transmission to [[Skaro]], the Dalek shut down the country's [[Wi-Fi]], [[Telephone|phone]] signals and Internet to power the transmission. ([[TV]]: ''[[Resolution (TV story)|Resolution]]'') | ||
=== 2020s and beyond === | === 2020s and beyond === | ||
[[Donna Noble]] went to the "[[supermarket (Redheads United)|big supermarket]]" with [[Sylvia Noble|her mother]], after the latter had [[read (activity)|read]] online that there'd be a [[shortage]] of [[easy peeler]]s, with them [[thinking]] they should [[stock up]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Redheads United (short story)}}) | |||
By [[2025]], [[GlobeSphere]] provided [[holographic]] Internet access, and charged for time spent online to one's personal account. Accounts were recognised by [[fingerprint]]. The system did not recognise the [[Fourth Doctor]]'s fingerprint, until he used the [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]] on it. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Energy of the Daleks (audio story)|Energy of the Daleks]]'') | By [[2025]], [[GlobeSphere]] provided [[holographic]] Internet access, and charged for time spent online to one's personal account. Accounts were recognised by [[fingerprint]]. The system did not recognise the [[Fourth Doctor]]'s fingerprint, until he used the [[The Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]] on it. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Energy of the Daleks (audio story)|Energy of the Daleks]]'') | ||
The Internet, in some form, was still in use on Earth in the very late 21st century, as webpages relating to the [[Bowie Base One]] crew and [[Adelaide Brooke]]'s granddaughter existed. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'') | The Internet, in some form, was still in use on Earth in the very late 21st century, as webpages relating to the [[Bowie Base One]] crew and [[Adelaide Brooke]]'s granddaughter existed. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'') | ||
[[Donna Noble]], desiring to go [[shopping]], once asked the [[Tenth Doctor]] if [[the TARDIS]] had [[broadband]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Greatest Mall in the Universe (comic story)|The Greatest Mall in the Universe]]'') | [[Donna Noble]], desiring to go [[shopping]], once asked the [[Tenth Doctor]] if [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] had [[broadband]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Greatest Mall in the Universe (comic story)|The Greatest Mall in the Universe]]'') | ||
When the [[Twelfth Doctor]] and Clara were discussing [[the Matrix]] defending itself against [[Time Lord|its builders]], the Doctor noted that every computer does that in the end and told her to wait for the Internet to start. "Oh, that was a war!" he noted. ([[TV]]: ''[[Hell Bent (TV story)|Hell Bent]]'') | |||
== Other planets == | == Other planets == | ||
There existed a [[Gendar (species)|Gendar]] Internet. When she came to Earth, [[Maxie Masters]] thought that the human Internet was "laughably ill-designed". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Out of the Box (short story)|Out of the Box]]'') | There existed a [[Gendar (species)|Gendar]] Internet. When she came to Earth, [[Maxie Masters]] thought that the human Internet was "laughably ill-designed". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Out of the Box (short story)|Out of the Box]]'') | ||
== Other realities == | |||
[[Ricky Smith]], in [[Pete's World]] in [[2007]], sent a message to [[readers of whoisdoctorwho.co.uk|the readers]] of [[Defending the Earth!]] in [[the Doctor's universe]], telling them to find [[binary9|a code]] on the Internet to take down [[Cybus Industries]]. ([[WC]]: ''[[Secret Code (webcast)|Secret Code]]'') | |||
== Behind the scenes == | == Behind the scenes == | ||
According to [[Tim Foley]], writer of of ''[[9 to 5 (audio story)|9 to 5]]'', "''Doctor Who'' invented the Internet" in 1966 when [[WOTAN]] was introduced in ''[[The War Machines (TV story)|The War Machines]]''. In fact, director [[Barnaby Edwards]] revealed in behind-the-scenes material to that story that he had once sent a copy of ''The War Machines'' to {{w|Tim Berners-Lee}}, inventor of the [[World Wide Web]], who replied in an [[email]], "I am a fraud." ([[BFX]]: ''[[9 to 5 (audio story)|9 to 5]]'') | According to [[Tim Foley]], writer of of ''[[9 to 5 (Torchwood One audio story)|9 to 5]]'', "''Doctor Who'' invented the Internet" in 1966 when [[WOTAN]] was introduced in ''[[The War Machines (TV story)|The War Machines]]''. In fact, director [[Barnaby Edwards]] revealed in behind-the-scenes material to that story that he had once sent a copy of ''The War Machines'' to {{w|Tim Berners-Lee}}, inventor of the [[World Wide Web]], who replied in an [[email]], "I am a fraud." ([[BFX]]: ''[[9 to 5 (Torchwood One audio story)|9 to 5]]'') | ||
The Internet has played a major role in promoting both the classic and revival ''[[Doctor Who]]'' series since the late 1990s. The [[ | The Internet has played a major role in promoting both the classic and revival ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]'' series since the late 1990s. The [[BBC]]'s [[website]] offered original story content (''[[Scream of the Shalka (webcast)|Scream of the Shalka]]'', ''[[Real Time (webcast)|Real Time]]'', ''[[Death Comes to Time (webcast)|Death Comes to Time]]'', etc.) for the Internet, with exclusive-to-Internet short stories also uploaded from time to time. The [[Doctor Who website|''Doctor Who'' website]] is also maintained, with both ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off ''[[Class (TV series)|Class]]'' having official [[Twitter]], [[Facebook]] and [[Instagram]] feeds. The spin-off series ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]'', ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' and ''Class'' had official websites and exclusive online content uploaded over the years they were running as well. Since 2016, the [[BBC Three]] channel — and by extension, ''Class'' — became Internet streaming only, with episodes of ''Class'' available via the [[BBC iPlayer]] service. | ||
When the series returned to TV in 2005, the BBC launched a "viral marketing" campaign by creating faux websites based upon characters and organisations featured in the series, which fans could visit. The primary viral site during the [[Series 1 (Doctor Who)|2005 season]] was Mickey's ''[[ | When the series returned to TV in 2005, the BBC launched [[Doctor Who tie-in websites|a "viral marketing" campaign]] by creating faux websites based upon characters and organisations featured in the series, which fans could visit. The primary viral site during the [[Series 1 (Doctor Who 2005)|2005 season]] was Mickey's ''[[Who is Doctor Who? (tie-in website)|Who is Doctor Who?]]'' site, which was updated each week with new narrative sources (all presented in an in-universe style) relating to that week's episode. The site also included several areas for people to submit anecdotal stories about encounters with the Doctor or certain aliens, depending on the contents of that week's episode, which occasionally featured messages from recognisable characters, such as [[Sarah Jane Smith]] a year before she returned to the series in ''[[School Reunion (TV story)|School Reunion]]''. | ||
A large number of books and audio dramas are currently available for download via the Internet, with a growing number of official and unofficial books also being made available only as e-books and thus available only via the Internet. | A large number of books and audio dramas are currently available for download via the Internet, with a growing number of official and unofficial books also being made available only as e-books and thus available only via the Internet. | ||
| Line 80: | Line 87: | ||
The [[search-wise.net]] website used by Rose actually exists. It is a "dummy site" for use by movie and TV producers in lieu of using recognisable sites like [[Google]], although, increasingly since the start of the [[Steven Moffat]] era of the programme, explicit references have been made in ''Doctor Who'' scripts to real-life websites such as [[Facebook]], [[Twitter]], and [[Flickr]]. [[Tumblr]] is seen being ''used'' on an [[iPhone]] in ''[[Kill the Moon (TV story)|Kill the Moon]]''. The ''Class'' episode ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'' also mentions [[Instagram]]. | The [[search-wise.net]] website used by Rose actually exists. It is a "dummy site" for use by movie and TV producers in lieu of using recognisable sites like [[Google]], although, increasingly since the start of the [[Steven Moffat]] era of the programme, explicit references have been made in ''Doctor Who'' scripts to real-life websites such as [[Facebook]], [[Twitter]], and [[Flickr]]. [[Tumblr]] is seen being ''used'' on an [[iPhone]] in ''[[Kill the Moon (TV story)|Kill the Moon]]''. The ''Class'' episode ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'' also mentions [[Instagram]]. | ||
On the TV special following the premiere of ''[[Deep Breath (TV story)|Deep Breath]] ''- ''Doctor Who, After Who Live'' - [[ | On the TV special following the premiere of ''[[Deep Breath (TV story)|Deep Breath]] ''- ''Doctor Who, After Who Live'' - [[Wil Wheaton]] joked that the "spirit animal" of the internet would be a Dalek as it's "a crunchy outer shell with a gooey centre of hate". | ||
[[Category:Internet| | [[Category:Internet| *]] | ||
[[Category:Earth technology]] | [[Category:Earth technology]] | ||
[[Category:Computer science from the real world]] | |||
[[Category:Communications technology from the real world]] | [[Category:Communications technology from the real world]] | ||
[[Category:Research and development]] | [[Category:Research and development]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:10, 30 October 2024
We need to go through these stories and references to see what is to the Internet, and what is actually to the World Wide Web.
These omissions are so great that the article's factual accuracy has been compromised. Check out the discussion page and revision history for further clues about what needs to be updated in this article.
- You may be looking for World Wide Web.
Internets were worldwide computer networks on Earth and Gendar. The network on Earth is usually described as "the Internet".
On Earth[[edit] | [edit source]]
Creation and overview[[edit] | [edit source]]
Earth's Internet was developed at some point after 1973, (PROSE: Verdigris) described by the Fourth Doctor as "a 21st century human obsession". (AUDIO: Energy of the Daleks)
Clive Finch believed that WOTAN had developed the Internet. (PROSE: Rose) Alternatively, the Twelfth Doctor knew the internet was actually a scheme created by the Daleks and their Emperor to change humanity into Dalek drones through the sheer levels of "wit, ego, and hatred" spread across the web. (WC: The Twelfth Doctor's been Timejacked!)
According to Iris Wildthyme, you could get "anything" from the Internet. Iris was rather fond of the World Wide Web. (PROSE: Verdigris)
The Internet was a useful research tool, (PROSE: The Dying Days, Instruments of Darkness, TV: Rose) as well as a repository for entertainment, (AUDIO: Beachhead, TV: Resolution) pornography, (PROSE: Artificial Intelligence) and a place for trade and commerce. (TV: Random Shoes, Resolution)
According to the Fourth Doctor, the Internet was also sometimes used for "nefarious purposes", especially in its infancy. (AUDIO: The Darkness of Glass) Internet users were distrustful of others, as potential predators. (PROSE: Rose)
Internet cafés existed by 1997. (PROSE: The Dying Days)
2000s[[edit] | [edit source]]
In the 2000s, purchases could by made online, through eBay; (TV: Random Shoes [+]Loading...["Random Shoes (TV story)"], AUDIO: Cuddlesome [+]Loading...["Cuddlesome (audio story)"], Fallout [+]Loading...["Fallout (audio story)"]) by the late 2010s, one could find almost any item online. (TV: Resolution [+]Loading...["Resolution (TV story)"])
UNIT maintained a website with restricted access sections that allowed remote launch of non-nuclear UK missiles. (TV: World War Three [+]Loading...["World War Three (TV story)"])
search-wise.net was a search engine operational in 2005. Rose Tyler used it to look for information about the Doctor, which led her to Doctor Who?. (TV: Rose [+]Loading...["Rose (TV story)"])
During Rose's disappearance between 2005 and 2006, Mickey Smith tracked information about the Doctor. (TV: Aliens of London [+]Loading...["Aliens of London (TV story)"]) The Ninth Doctor, realising this would make him noticed, devised a computer virus to delete all references to him from the Internet, and asked Mickey to run the program, (TV: World War Three [+]Loading...["World War Three (TV story)"]) although he couldn't bring himself to use it. (PROSE: Hoax This! [+]Loading...["Hoax This! (short story)"])
In 2006, Mr Cleaver put up his concerns about the safety of the Blaidd Drwg nuclear power plant on the Internet. Cathy Salt discovered these results. (TV: Boom Town [+]Loading...["Boom Town (TV story)"])
Julian Delaware explained to a revived WOTAN in 2007 that people around the world were already "halfway" to being properly enslaved to their screens, meaning much of their work was already done. WOTAN was prepared to connect all the Earth's computers, toward achieving world domination, not knowing humans had already achieved this for themselves. Julian also made WOTAN accessible via 3G and Bluetooth. (AUDIO: The Law Machines [+]Loading...["The Law Machines (audio story)"])
By this point, dial-up internet had become outdated. (AUDIO: The Law Machines [+]Loading...["The Law Machines (audio story)"])
In 2008, the Eleventh Doctor used a webchat feature to communicate with a number of world organisations using Jeff Angelo's laptop; he later advised Jeff to delete his Internet history. (TV: The Eleventh Hour [+]Loading...["The Eleventh Hour (TV story)"])
2010s[[edit] | [edit source]]
By the 2010s, the Internet also was used for streaming media, (AUDIO: Beachhead) and accessing Netflix, (TV: Resolution) YouTube (TV: The Power of Three, The Woman Who Fell to Earth) and Tumblr. (TV: Kill the Moon) Original fiction was published online, which the Fourth Doctor thought was often among the "lower rungs of the literary ladder", (AUDIO: The Crooked Man) and television programmes could be accessed through iPlayer. (TV: The Time of the Doctor) The internet also housed social media sites such as Twitter. The Eleventh Doctor had a particular disdain for this particular website. (TV: The Power of Three)
In 2012, Henry van Statten was the self-proclaimed owner of the Internet. At this time, connections throughout the Internet were fast enough for a Dalek to download its entire contents within seconds. (TV: Dalek)
Also in 2012, the Fourth Doctor instructed Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan to browse the internet at a Prague internet café for any information on a Mr Drak. He later scolded them for not thinking of translating the words "Bojan Novak" and "Ctislav" into English while they were there. (PROSE: The Dragons of Prague)
By 2013, nearly everyone had some form of social media account. (TV: The Bells of Saint John)
In 2016, Andrea Quill remarked of the internet, "Have you seen what this species puts about themselves online? So much genitalia." (TV: The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo) She also used it to look at cats. (TV: For Tonight We Might Die)
By 2017 during his time as a lecturer at St Luke's University, (TV: The Pilot, Knock Knock) the Twelfth Doctor revealed to someone that the Daleks were behind the internet. He promised to put a stop to their plan "sooner or later" but, in the meantime, was in the midst of another adventure. (WC: The Twelfth Doctor's been Timejacked!)
On New Year's Day 2019, a lone Reconnaissance Dalek took over the Government Communications Headquarters of Great Britain. In order to divert enough power to make a transmission to Skaro, the Dalek shut down the country's Wi-Fi, phone signals and Internet to power the transmission. (TV: Resolution)
2020s and beyond[[edit] | [edit source]]
Donna Noble went to the "big supermarket" with her mother, after the latter had read online that there'd be a shortage of easy peelers, with them thinking they should stock up. (PROSE: Redheads United [+]Loading...["Redheads United (short story)"])
By 2025, GlobeSphere provided holographic Internet access, and charged for time spent online to one's personal account. Accounts were recognised by fingerprint. The system did not recognise the Fourth Doctor's fingerprint, until he used the sonic screwdriver on it. (AUDIO: Energy of the Daleks)
The Internet, in some form, was still in use on Earth in the very late 21st century, as webpages relating to the Bowie Base One crew and Adelaide Brooke's granddaughter existed. (TV: The Waters of Mars)
Donna Noble, desiring to go shopping, once asked the Tenth Doctor if the TARDIS had broadband. (COMIC: The Greatest Mall in the Universe)
When the Twelfth Doctor and Clara were discussing the Matrix defending itself against its builders, the Doctor noted that every computer does that in the end and told her to wait for the Internet to start. "Oh, that was a war!" he noted. (TV: Hell Bent)
Other planets[[edit] | [edit source]]
There existed a Gendar Internet. When she came to Earth, Maxie Masters thought that the human Internet was "laughably ill-designed". (PROSE: Out of the Box)
Other realities[[edit] | [edit source]]
Ricky Smith, in Pete's World in 2007, sent a message to the readers of Defending the Earth! in the Doctor's universe, telling them to find a code on the Internet to take down Cybus Industries. (WC: Secret Code)
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
According to Tim Foley, writer of of 9 to 5, "Doctor Who invented the Internet" in 1966 when WOTAN was introduced in The War Machines. In fact, director Barnaby Edwards revealed in behind-the-scenes material to that story that he had once sent a copy of The War Machines to Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, who replied in an email, "I am a fraud." (BFX: 9 to 5)
The Internet has played a major role in promoting both the classic and revival Doctor Who series since the late 1990s. The BBC's website offered original story content (Scream of the Shalka, Real Time, Death Comes to Time, etc.) for the Internet, with exclusive-to-Internet short stories also uploaded from time to time. The Doctor Who website is also maintained, with both Doctor Who and its spin-off Class having official Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds. The spin-off series Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Class had official websites and exclusive online content uploaded over the years they were running as well. Since 2016, the BBC Three channel — and by extension, Class — became Internet streaming only, with episodes of Class available via the BBC iPlayer service.
When the series returned to TV in 2005, the BBC launched a "viral marketing" campaign by creating faux websites based upon characters and organisations featured in the series, which fans could visit. The primary viral site during the 2005 season was Mickey's Who is Doctor Who? site, which was updated each week with new narrative sources (all presented in an in-universe style) relating to that week's episode. The site also included several areas for people to submit anecdotal stories about encounters with the Doctor or certain aliens, depending on the contents of that week's episode, which occasionally featured messages from recognisable characters, such as Sarah Jane Smith a year before she returned to the series in School Reunion.
A large number of books and audio dramas are currently available for download via the Internet, with a growing number of official and unofficial books also being made available only as e-books and thus available only via the Internet.
The search-wise.net website used by Rose actually exists. It is a "dummy site" for use by movie and TV producers in lieu of using recognisable sites like Google, although, increasingly since the start of the Steven Moffat era of the programme, explicit references have been made in Doctor Who scripts to real-life websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr. Tumblr is seen being used on an iPhone in Kill the Moon. The Class episode For Tonight We Might Die also mentions Instagram.
On the TV special following the premiere of Deep Breath - Doctor Who, After Who Live - Wil Wheaton joked that the "spirit animal" of the internet would be a Dalek as it's "a crunchy outer shell with a gooey centre of hate".
