Final answer:
A peer-to-peer file sharing platform allows direct file exchanges without a central server, a technology that has evolved to include content streaming and online gaming, raising issues around global influence, intellectual property, and internet usage for various legal and illegal activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
A peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing platform is a decentralized platform that allows users to share files directly between systems on the network, without the need for a central server. While Napster, the company that propelled music downloading and file sharing to new heights, ceased operations in 2001, its legacy lives on in subsequent file sharing systems and the way consumers now access music, videos, and other digital content.
In addition to file sharing, modern internet technology has enabled content streaming and online gaming platforms that support both online and offline sharing. Such platforms may also support educational activities like global student-teacher collaborations and wider access to information, although this has sparked debates over global influence and intellectual property rights, exemplified by the MGM Studios v. Grokster case.
Furthermore, as the internet has developed from its early text-based communication to the modern era of high-bandwidth fiber optic networks and cellular networks like 4G and 5G, it has facilitated the widespread use of streaming media. Hence, the once-peer-to-peer model of the Internet is increasingly becoming a hub for commerce and media consumption.