Internet café

Did You Know?

• In March 1988, the 'Electronic Café' opened near Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea, by Ahn Sang-soo and Gum Nu-ri, using two 16-bit computers connected to online service networks.
• In July 1991, the SFnet Coffeehouse Network opened in San Francisco by Wayne Gregori, installing coin-operated computer terminals in coffeehouses that dialed into a 32-line Bulletin Board System.
• The SFnet network offered FIDOnet mail and, in 1992, Internet mail.

Internet cafés

The concept of a café with full Internet access, under the name Cybercafé, was invented in early 1994 by Ivan Pope. He developed it for an arts weekend at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, inspired by SFnet terminal-based cafés. Later that year, commercial Internet cafés opened: The Binary Café in Toronto, Canada, in June 1994; Cyberia in London on September 1, 1994; and The High Tech Cafe in Dallas, Texas, in August 1994. A bar called CompuCafé in Helsinki, Finland, opened in September 1993 and relocated in October 1994 with Internet access and a robotic beer seller. The CB1 Café in Cambridge installed an Internet connection in January 1995 and operated until 2015. The Scottish Bar in French-speaking Switzerland started on June 27, 1995, by Pierre Hemmer. In June 1995, three Internet cafés opened in New York City's East Village: Internet Cafe, @Cafe, and Heroic Sandwich. Surf City opened in Anchorage, Alaska, in 1996. Since the early 2010s, smartphones and faster connectivity have reduced Internet café numbers; South Korea's count dropped 17% from 19,000 in 2010 to 15,800 in 2012. In China, 130,000 Internet cafés closed over six years before 2011, leaving 144,000.

Characteristics

Many Internet cafés are private businesses, but some aim to bridge the digital divide by offering computer access and training. Public places like libraries and airports also provide Internet kiosks. Hotels, resorts, and cruise ships often offer Internet access, sometimes via in-room wireless or lobby computers. In the U.S., many mid-price hotels provide free lobby computer access, while fancier hotels may charge. Truck stops in North America have Internet kiosks charging around 20 cents per minute. Internet cafés vary widely in style, reflecting location and clientele. A variation is the LAN gaming center, used for multiplayer gaming with custom-assembled computers connected to a LAN. These centers reduce the need for video arcades and are popular in parts of Asia, including South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, and the Philippines. The terms net café and LAN gaming center have become interchangeable in some countries, as the shared-access model is more affordable than personal ownership of high-end gaming equipment.

Legal issues

In 2003, the EasyInternetcafé chain in Great Britain was found liable for copyright infringement when customers used its CD-burning service to burn illegally downloaded music. In 2005, Italy began requiring Internet cafés to collect photocopies of customers' passports under anti-terrorism legislation. By 2010, a variation called sweepstakes parlors became widespread in parts of the United States, offering contest entries to customers purchasing Internet usage. These faced scrutiny as illegal gambling, leading to raids and state bans. In Germany, the number of publicly accessible terminals is decreasing due to complicated regulation, high Internet penetration, and widespread wireless hotspots. Internet café regulations in Germany do not apply if no terminal is offered, but LAN gaming centers face additional rules originally for video arcades, including a ban on entry for those under 18, despite this age group being a key customer base.

By country

Australia's first Internet café, Netcafe, opened in St Kilda at the Deluxe Café on April 4, 1995, inspired by the Seattle phenomenon. Founders included Gavin Murray, Rita Arrigo, and Christopher Beaumont, joined by Kathryn Phelps from London's Cyberia. Cafe.on.net opened on Rundle Street in Adelaide in 1995, founded by John Ruciak with support from Internode's Simon Hackett. Lan Game @ The House opened shortly after and remains active. In China, a 2005 survey reported 110,000 Internet cafés, employing over 1,000,000 people and contributing 18.5 billion yuan to GDP. Over 70% of visitors were aged 18–30, 90% male, 65% unmarried, and 54% held a university degree; over 70% played computer games. In India, Internet cafés have declined since widespread mobile Internet, but services like printing and e-governance assistance help survival. A positive government ID is compulsory in most states. The number of cyber cafes in India fell from 180,000 in 2008 to 50,000 in 2017, partly due to IT Act licensing issues.