What were attitudes towards the internet when there were only 15 million active users around the world? This Nine News special report by Carole Kerr from 1994 delves into the exciting, fast-growing craze that was changing the lives of everyday Australians.

The footage represents an early stage of the digital revolution, when internet use was still limited, and terminology was evolving. Kerr's approach reveals a sense of novelty and excitement, full of speculative claims that may now seem either outrageous or commonplace. Instant messaging can make you feel like you're a Hollywood spy, and you may one day chat directly to Bill Clinton or Billy Idol by hopping over to their web address. Expert interviews focus on an academic at Curtin University, as universities were the primary hotspots for internet use at the time.

With 400,000 Australians logged on in 1994, online life was spreading. Australians were even finding love over the web. This report captures a critical turning point, when an analog understanding was quickly becoming outdated.