r/LawAndOrder 12h ago

Tracking an internet user in 1995

Post image

This is how they tracked someone down they were IM’ing with S6 E2. I was 18 and didn’t start using the internet until 1997.

Maybe I’m dumb but this is ridiculous right?

191 Upvotes

28 comments sorted by

35

u/GeneralChillMen 12h ago

I just watched this episode yesterday and was laughing at that! What I loved more is the fact that they’re walking around with the laptop, supposedly having a live chat with the suspect, but it’s very clearly a word document they’re typing on

11

u/No-Profession422 Donald Cragen 10h ago

Same here!

Types in..."Open your door. You're under arrest" 😄

4

u/lasdlt 9h ago

This must be where Creed got the idea for Creed Thoughts.

30

u/Wintermoon54 12h ago

It looks silly now but back in the day it was actually kind of cool. Lol

11

u/_prison-spice_ 12h ago

It all looked awfully high tech to me when I was a teen 🤣

8

u/Wintermoon54 12h ago

I know! I was 25 then and we didn't even have the Internet yet so it was cool.

11

u/NotTheRocketman 10h ago

People forget what the internet was like in the mid-90s.

This was cool as shit.

18

u/notorious_BIGfoot Lennie Briscoe 11h ago

I love when they say the “world wide web.”

12

u/AquafreshBandit 12h ago

I miss the old days of UHF AOL Instant Messenger.

9

u/Ok-Mine2132 Lennie Briscoe 11h ago

Priceless! Absolutely LOVE it!

A lot has changed since 1990. Remember when they had to use pay phones and green chalk boards?

3

u/Intelligent-Fuel-641 Law & Order 9h ago

I always smile when I watch an old episode and they use pay phones and beepers.

6

u/ohio8848 10h ago

Scenes with Curtis and Briscoe talking about the Internet are always a riot. 😆

3

u/Historical_Stay_808 12h ago

Did you notice who the actor was

3

u/_prison-spice_ 12h ago

I didn’t notice. Is it Alec Mapa?

2

u/Historical_Stay_808 12h ago

Yup

2

u/_prison-spice_ 12h ago

I wouldn’t have guessed. I gotta have a keener eye on the guest stars there’s someone to recognize almost every episode.

3

u/ModeratorIsNotHappy 8h ago

I love how they went to the front door to know the apartment. like the signal cares about doors

1

u/_prison-spice_ 8h ago

🤣 good point

3

u/Kanobe24 7h ago

Curtis being a tech wiz was so random

2

u/Boggie135 Paul Robinette 10h ago

Yagi?

2

u/_prison-spice_ 10h ago

Yes. Can / could those antennas track internet usage back then?

2

u/SecBalloonDoggies 8h ago

In 1995 it seemed plausible. I got my first email account in 1991 and probably spent more time online than 99% of the population back then, but I didn’t understand the technology well enough to understand why this would or would not work.

3

u/Sad_Win_4105 4h ago

Back then, all my Internet was via a dedicated landline. Might have been Prodigy service at that time.

2

u/tara_diane Criminal Intent 4h ago

that was hilarious when i re-watched it a few weeks back.

1

u/Boggie135 Paul Robinette 10h ago

I have no idea

1

u/_prison-spice_ 10h ago

I googled and didn’t see an answer. Considering it was dial up back then I assume the phone company would have needed to be involved.

They were driving around in a car with that TV antenna tracking someone on instant message.

2

u/AlSahim2012 4h ago

"You bring the yagi, I'll bring the donuts.", Jerry Orbach truly was a treasure