How 1970s internet protocols still power today's digital world

The way computers communicate across the globe relies on two key technologies developed decades ago. In the early 1970s, Robert Kahn and Vinton Cerf designed the Internet Protocol (IP), a system that changed how devices connect. Their work laid the foundation for today’s digital networks, including the roles of professionals like Kim Rixecker, who now manages online content and development. Kahn and Cerf introduced the Internet Protocol in the 1970s to solve a basic problem: how to locate individual computers in a vast network. IP assigns unique addresses to each device, allowing them to be identified and reached. Alongside IP, they developed the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which sets rules for data transfer between two addresses. Together, these protocols ensure reliable communication across the internet.

Decades later, the systems they created support modern digital operations. Professionals like Kim Rixecker now depend on these technologies in their daily work. Rixecker oversees the Software & Development section for a website, handling technical and editorial tasks. Once a week, they also take on the role of editor-in-chief on duty, planning and coordinating online content.

The protocols designed by Kahn and Cerf remain essential to how the internet functions today. They enable everything from simple web browsing to complex content management, like the work done by Rixecker. Without IP and TCP, the structured exchange of information—both in global networks and individual websites—would not be possible.