The third paragraph of the article performs a specific function. What is it?

Historically speaking, the evolution of the internet is relatively recent. The original internet got its start in 1958 in the United States. It began as a series of interconnected computer networks designed by the Department of Defense to help protect the country. Over time, the number of computer networks grew and in 1990, the World Wide Web was introduced, a system created to make navigating the internet much easier. In 1991, the internet was introduced to the general population. Since that time, numerous efforts have been made to both spread and control the spread of information. As the number of internet users grew exponentially, concerns with increased criminal activity, privacy, and the airing of diverse political views began to develop. These concerns led to policies enacted to protect privacy and on-line content. In 1995, the American Navy developed something called “onion routing,” an early encryption tool that allowed the sending of private data over public networks. In the following years, many jurisdictions introduced legislation to limit the kinds of content that could be disseminated or viewed on-line. The Communications Decency Act of 1996 (United States) banned the posting of anything indecent or offensive. In 1998, four years after the internet arrived in China, the Chinese government launched the “Great Firewall of China,” an internet censorship program designed to block access to foreign websites and information.