When was the Internet Archive founded and who founded it?
The Internet Archive was founded by Brewster Kahle on the 10th of May 1996. Kahle established the organization to preserve the ephemeral nature of the World Wide Web as a public good.
Common questions about Internet Archive
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where is the Internet Archive headquarters located?
The Internet Archive is headquartered in San Francisco, California, inside a building that was once the Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist. The organization has occupied this location since late 2009 after previously operating from the Presidio of San Francisco.
How many web pages does the Wayback Machine hold?
The Wayback Machine holds over 866 billion web pages representing more than 100,000 terabytes of information. This service was launched in 2001 as a joint effort between Alexa Internet and the Internet Archive.
What legal challenges has the Internet Archive faced regarding books?
A court ruling in 2023 found the Internet Archive guilty of willful mass copyright infringement regarding its National Emergency Library. The ruling barred the organization from digitally lending books for which electronic copies are on sale.
When was the lawsuit over the Great 78 Project settled?
The lawsuit over the Great 78 Project was settled in September 2025 after both parties submitted requests to drop the case. The music industry giants Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Concord had sued the Internet Archive for $621 million in damages.