Everything That You Didn’t Know About The Dark Web But Should
And how to access it in 2022.
If you are like me, then you probably don’t know much about computers. However, you have most likely heard of the Deep Web and Dark Web.
This topic has always been an interest of mine. I was first introduced to the concept of the Deep and Dark Web when I was about 16 years old. I found myself googling these concepts and getting into a rabbit hole of information.
The information that I came across were articles and YouTube videos that were either greatly exaggerated or false. Nevertheless, it still left me scared and paranoid.
The concepts of hired hitmen, mystery boxes received on doorsteps, unnoticeable webcam viewings and even worse, kept me up on most nights- Could I be targeted for simply reading and watching these videos about the Dark Web?
Admittedly, paranoia got the better of me and I did put a sticky note covering my webcam.
Before we get stuck in this tangle, it is vital to understand the difference between the Deep Web and the Dark Web. These terms are often used interchangeably which is incorrect.
What is the Deep Web?
The best way to think about this concept is to picture the internet as an iceberg.
The tip of the iceberg represents the Surface Web, this is the internet that we use every day.
It contains all of the websites like Google, Yahoo, Instagram, Facebook and all of our related searches. I like to recognise it as the visible web because it is everything that we can see.
The bottom half of the iceberg represents the Deep Web. Important to realise, the deeper you go into the ocean the darker it gets.
It is estimated that 96% of the internet is invisible.
When you think of the Deep Web the first thing that may come to mind is the abundant illegal activity. Well, you are both right and wrong in thinking this.
“The Deep Web contains mostly benign sites, such as your password-protected email account, certain parts of paid subscription services like Netflix” — Britannica (2022).
The purpose of the Deep Web is to host private information such as:
- Email messages.
- Chat messages.
- Private content on social media sites.
- Electronic bank statements.
- Electronic health records.
What is the Dark Web?
The Dark Web is not inherently dangerous.
Both Deep and Dark Web are hidden and cannot be found by conventional search engines such as Google.
However, the Dark Web is a subset of the Deep Web- way down the bottom of the iceberg.
Despite the Deep Web being 500 times larger than the Surface Web, the size of the Dark web is seemingly smaller but unmeasurable.
The websites in the Dark Web are characterised by their use of encryption software that makes their users and their locations anonymous (Brittanica, 2020).
That is why the illegal activity is so common.
You may have heard of the FBI operation in 2013 that shut down a site known as Silk Road. Silk Road was the notorious black market of the Dark Web. See the below article.
The dark web provides an anonymous forum for freedom of expression and can be used for:
- Journalists and whistleblowers.
- Political protesters, and anti-censorship advocacy groups.
- Residents of oppressive political regimes
- Uncensored news sources.
- Cybersecurity for businesses dealing with sensitive information.
- Illegal market places like the former Silk Road.
- A platform to spread propaganda and for extremist groups to communicate.
- A space for frauds and people to make money in marketplaces like trading Bitcoin for mystery boxes and the infamous hitmen for hire.
Most notably, you may know of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks- a place that publishes news leaks and classified media and government information anonymously. This platform resides on the Dark Web.
How Does It Work and How Can I Obtain Access?
The most common way to access the Deep and Dark Web is through ‘The Onion Router’ or Tor browser.
You can simply download Tor onto your computer via this link:
When using the Tor browser:
- You are anonymous, anyone operating the website will see the Tor connection rather than your real IP address.
- It works by sending your search traffic through 3 random servers, therefore, the location of your computer remains anonymous. It is based on a concept known as “onion routing”.
For example, when I complete a simple “Netflix” search on the Tor browser from my place in Australia, it thinks I am in Austria and yesterday it was Switzerland. See below.
From here, you need to get your hands on the address for the deep website that you want to visit, which is called an “onion address.” Once you have that, simply paste it into the search bar and press enter, and the website will load just like it would on the regular surface web — (Tor, 2022).
Majority of Tor is now owned by governments, but you are still largely private.
For the real sceptics, there are other unregulated browsers that you can use like:
- Brave.
- Epic Browser.
- I2P.
- Freenet.
Yes, these browsers are all legal to use. However, if you choose to engage in illegal activity on the Dark Web, you can still be found and punished.
Final Thoughts
The Deep and the Dark web have their individual purposes.
They are not purely about trading cryptocurrency for illegal goods and services.
The Dark Web can be a powerful tool for acquiring information when living under an oppressive regime. It can be used for freedom of speech.
As a final piece, here are some best practices:
- Do not visit any illegal websites.
- You should not download any files or software from the dark web.
- Limit your search only for serious research, not for simple questions and basic web navigation.
- Cover or disconnect your webcam lenses.
- Download nothing.
- Trust no one on the Dark Web.
