Jehovah’s Witnesses have had an official website on the Internet for 25 years. The November 1997 Our Kingdom Ministry article entitled “Good News on the Internet” introduced the new website, watchtower.org. The article explained: “The Society has put on the Internet some accurate information about the beliefs and activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses. . . . The purpose of our Web site is, not to release new publications, but to make information available to the public in electronic format.”

From that point forward, the public could download a selection of tracts, brochures, and Watchtower and Awake! articles from watchtower.org. The website watchtower.org went live to the public on January 15, 1997. Then, jw-media.org came online in 1999. It provided accurate information to the media on current events involving Jehovah’s Witnesses, including legal developments and other organizational activities.

In 2005, jw.org came online and, in time, began to be used for downloads of selected publications and audio recordings.

In August 2012, all three websites were consolidated into a redesigned jw.org. Regarding the updated website, the December 2012 Our Kingdom Ministry related: “About one third of the earth’s population uses the Internet. It has become the primary source of information for many, especially young people. . . . It enables the good news to penetrate areas of the earth where people have few opportunities to hear the Kingdom message.”

JW.ORG expanded in content and in reach, making available written, audio, and video content. Publications were available for download in 411 languages. Some seven years after its 2012 redesign, literature on jw.org was available in an unprecedented 1,000 languages, including 100 sign languages.

JW.ORG became an especially valuable tool after the COVID-19 pandemic began. The website saw increased activity as in-person congregation meetings were suspended and it became increasingly challenging to print and distribute publications. An all-time peak for unique visitors was reached on April 7, 2020—the day of the Memorial of Jesus’ death—with over seven million visitors. The website received more than one billion visits in 2020, compared with 800 million in 2019. Since January 2022, the website sees an average of three million visits each day.

The accurate information on jw.org has been effective in breaking down prejudices about Jehovah’s Witnesses. For example, Tenesha Gordon relates: “I appreciated how accessible the information about the Witnesses was, such as who they are, what they believe, and what they base their beliefs on. This helped me to dismantle the misconceptions I had.”

Tenesha was baptized in 2017. She now serves as a commuter Bethelite in Jamaica.

Brother Clive Martin, who oversees the department that maintains the website, said: “It has been very satisfying to see how Jehovah has used jw.org to reach so many people of various backgrounds in every corner of the earth with the good news of God’s Kingdom.”

We are grateful to Jehovah for this tool that continues to assist us with the preaching work, keeps us abreast of organizational developments, and unites the worldwide brotherhood, all to Jehovah’s praise.—Psalm 145:1, 2.