Final answer:
The Internet is classified as a wide area network (WAN), interconnecting multiple networks across the globe and significantly impacting global communication and media access.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Internet is the most universal and powerful form of a wide area network (WAN). This classification of networks by geographic scope labels the Internet as a WAN because it spans a large geographical area and interconnects multiple smaller networks, including local area networks (LANs), personal area networks (PANs), and metropolitan area networks (MANs). The Internet's capability to connect devices and networks around the globe has had a profound impact on economic, political, and social structures, enabling global media access and accelerating the process of globalization.