When the 2016 Associated Press (AP) Stylebook launches on June 1, 2016, the Internet will cease to be capitalized. Henceforth, it shall be spelled as “internet.” The announcement was made on their Twitter account on April 2, (narrowly avoiding being labeled as an April Fool’s prank).
In addition, another similar term, “Web,” shall be spelled in lower case from that day forward and be known as “web.”
Previously, the AP Stylebook has allowed “e-mail” to be spelled without a hyphen (email), has allowed “over” to also mean “more than,” and has allowed writers to begin sentences with “hopefully” in the sense of “it is hoped that.”
We will lowercase internet effective June 1, when the 2016 Stylebook launches. #ACES2016 pic.twitter.com/nGz63zc5YP
— AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) April 2, 2016
In years past, both the AP Stylebook and the equally ubiquitous Chicago Manual of Style had insisted on capitalizing “internet” despite a growing movement not to do so.
This act thus adds another wrinkle in what certain publications, institutions, and websites prefer as far as styleguides go. We wish all editors luck in trying to implement a universal guide that the companies they work for will ideally follow on a consistent basis.
Meanwhile for us here at adobo, we’ll be progressive and follow the AP’s new rule.
