I googled and came up with this.
"January 1, 1983 is considered the official birthday of the Internet. Prior to this, the various computer networks did not have a standard way to communicate with each other. A new communications protocol was established called Transfer Control Protocol/Internetwork Protocol (TCP/IP)."
What prompted this was recent programs on CBC Radio about the date 40 years ago and interviews with how present day people who never had the Internet are responding.
I can only speak for myself, a senior in her seventies. First – I was amazed because I googled, on my iMac computer, to find out when it started . I can remember being curious about the advanced technology, excited, wondered how it would affect me. My family were computer savvy and I was an interested observer but any attempts to really understand what was going on – the language, so to speak, was beyond me. So I had to wait until I learned to speak that language. That learning continues – but it is an upward curve. My kids – and now my grandkids! – are encouraging.