There is a debate over whether to capitalize “Internet” as a proper noun or not. Some argue that it should be capitalized to clarify which network is being discussed, while others believe it should be lowercase like other common products. Consult style guides for formal documents.
There is actually a debate over whether or not to capitalize the Internet, reflecting the fact that the English language is in a constant state of transition. If you’re writing a specific or formal document, you may want to consult your organization’s or educational institution’s preferred style guide, to ensure you’re using the form of capitalization that will please your readers.
The argument in favor of using a capital I is that the Internet is a proper noun, referring not to “an Internet” but to a specific worldwide network using the TCP/IP protocol. Under this topic, capitalization is extremely important, because it clarifies which network is under discussion. Many major publications around the world follow this stylistic edict, including technical journals and publications published by organizations working in the field.
When people who spell the Internet with a capital “I” use lowercase, they’re referring to “an Internet,” a distinct interconnected network. For example, many offices and schools use the Internet to connect their computers directly to each other. This can also be called an intranet. This system, whatever you call it, is also often connected to the Internet – or the World Wide Web – just to add to the general confusion.
Other people believe the Internet should be spelled with a lowercase “I,” citing terms like “hoovering,” which were once proper nouns, but have now become so common they’re not capitalized. Proponents of this thesis point out that the word is not protected by trademarks and copyrights in the same way as many generic phrases, so it does not make sense to protect it with a capital “I” when this courtesy has not been extended to “spackle ” , “nylon”, “zipper”, “velcro” and many other products.
Spelling “Internet” with a small “I” is especially common in casual communications. However, many people believe that there should be a distinction between internet and internet, as these two terms are very different. The best way to protect and clarify this distinction is to use a capital “I” when discussing the Internet, and proponents of this argument also capitalize terms like Web, Net, and WWW.
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