Final answer:
One change that occurred in the United States as the internet became popular was the transformation of the internet into a platform for commerce and media consumption. The internet shifted from text-based communication to image and video-based communication, allowing for the streaming of media to smartphones and tablets. This change led to the rise of online media consumption and the potential replacement of traditional forms of media.
Step-by-step explanation:
One change that occurred in the United States as the internet became popular was the transformation of the internet into a platform for commerce and media consumption. With the advancement of technology and the expansion of bandwidth, the internet shifted from text-based communication to image and video-based communication. This allowed for the streaming of media to smartphones and tablets, replacing traditional broadcast television.
For example, the advent of fiber optic network backbones and the worldwide web in the 1990s enabled the use of images and streaming video on the internet. The development of 4G and 5G cellular networks further expanded bandwidth, allowing for the streaming of media to portable devices.
As a result, one of the changes that occurred in the United States as the internet became popular was the rise of online media consumption and the potential replacement of traditional forms of media, such as broadcast television.