Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Santa went online in 1986; yes, really. BT’s Microlink service let anyone type “SANTA” at the prompt and send a direct message to the North Pole. Kids asked for BBC Micros; adults asked for… significantly less wholesome gifts. Within a week the system was flooded; more than a third of the 6,000 messages came from drunk or mischievous grown-ups. This is the forgotten story of the first time Santa was trolled online.

#RetroTech #Christmas #80sTech #Microlink #TelecomGold #Santa #History #VintageComputing #Nostalgia #BBCMicro