The Internet is a system of computer networks all over the world that can exchange data with each other using a standard communication protocol called TCP/IP. It is decentralized, and no single entity owns or controls it. There are several organizations in the world, however, that work together to maintain and improve the Internet. These include the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees the assignment of domain names and IP addresses, and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which looks after the technical aspects of the Internet.

The Internet is similar to a modern city that features interstate highways. These freeways link to secondary roads and local streets. Each house has a driveway connected to this extensive road network. Think of each house as a computer, and the road system as the Internet.

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