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When do we use 'on the web' and when 'in the web'?

Roombeats provides image content marketing solutions by linking images to product or brand information and distributing it on the web.

Kris
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CharanyaV
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  • That was correct, of course. – Kris Nov 06 '13 at 05:32
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    If you're talking about the internet, I think it's almost always 'on the web'. Unless you're talking about a spider's web, or - as @Kris says - 'in the web of his malicious plan...' – mikhailcazi Nov 06 '13 at 05:41
  • By the way, there's still a persisting confusion in people between 'the Web' (www) and the 'Internet'. Most consider the terms synonymous, which they are not. Something that is on the Web is in no way related to anything that is on the Internet. – Kris Nov 07 '13 at 04:35
  • @Kris: Well... if something is on the web than it must be on the internet, yes? – MrHen Nov 07 '13 at 05:24
  • @MrHen There, again :) Why do you think so? – Kris Nov 07 '13 at 05:25
  • @Kris: "The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet." – MrHen Nov 07 '13 at 14:25
  • @MrHen Great. That gets you the needed distinction. Hope it's all clear now. – Kris Nov 07 '13 at 14:30
  • @Kris: Right. So if something is on the web than it must be on the internet. Glad you agree. – MrHen Nov 07 '13 at 14:32
  • @MrHen If this message is in transit, it will eventually reach you. The transit medium is not the message. [Let's end the discussion before the mods come in.] :) – Kris Nov 07 '13 at 14:35
  • @Kris: Right, I don't disagree with that. But "on the web" still implies "on the internet" even if the usage of "on" means something slightly different. It would be like the difference between, "my house is on this block / my house is on this map [of this block]." But sure, we can move this to [chat]. :) – MrHen Nov 07 '13 at 16:41
  • Yes to "ON" when it's a webpage, or site. But 'in' could just as easily work if we mean "in the network" — which is used 'more' should not be a determining factor.) – Insider_English Sep 01 '23 at 14:12

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A quick Google Search, especially under 'Books' & 'News' will make it amply clear that 'on the web' is predominantly used in the context of the World Wide Web.

Most of the instances of 'in the web' relate to the idiom '(caught) in the web (of ...),' etc., or if it's the www then a different phrasing such as 'in the web site,' 'in the web development' etc.

Kris
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