You may have heard tell of something named ‘The Dark Web,’ in recent years. It’s not always the most simple thing to understand. You may have familiarized yourself with its name via a news report about some form of insane happening, perhaps the arrest and subsequent stories leaked about Dread Pirate Roberts, perhaps someone at a party was bragging about their means to locate strange narcotics through this website, or perhaps you’ve heard even crazier stories, such as this being a place where you can hire illicit services such as finding weaponry.
Of course, this article will absolutely not be a method as to how to access those avenues, but to provide a brief summary of what the dark web is, and why you should know about it. Consider the following:
What is it?
The dark web is not some breeding ground of pirates and ne'er do wells. Well, not in its technical definitions. The dark web is simply the territory of the internet that is not directed to by any official search engines. That’s it. Meaning that a private server hosted for a business, or perhaps a secure P2P connection can both be considered matters of the dark web. As of May 2018, apparently 4.5 billion websites have been indexed by search engines. It has been estimated that the dark web is around five hundred times larger than this.
Imagine a territory in real life so massive, run by its own small fiefdoms, and without any real rule of law and high level of security for each small location in said territory. It is for this reason that crime does exist in these borders, and that is often what makes headlines. From fraud to a multitude of other issues, the dark web is simply a tool, and its use is operated by businesses, governments, journalists, crime networks and the everyday consumer like you and me.
Total anonymity is one of the grounding principles of the dark web. From a lack of or masked IP addresses to a lack of DNS identifications, users can bypass the regular requirements needed to access information or items on the web. For example, it’s not uncommon to hear about the dark web being used to co-ordinate protesting efforts in countries hammering down on internet freedoms during revolutions.
Why does it matter?
It’s important to know about this so you understand that the dark web is not something to fear. In fact, there are many practical uses for this for any legitimate and law-abiding citizen. However, it does pay to stay informed as to the practical uses of this, as you will then understand the importance of securing your internet presence and just how vast this online network can be. Methods such as practicing good internet behavior, subscribing to a competent VPN as well as finding means to locate being targeted with the dark web used as tool can help you stay a more competent and aware citizen.
Is it always bad?
Absolutely not. The deep web is neutral, it’s just a set of mostly anonymous communicative systems that can be used for any purpose. However, just like any powerful tool, it can absolutely be used for good and bad - perhaps dizzying levels of each. For this reason understanding the common dark web pitfalls and a competent security guide can help you stay safe if needing to use it for a practical and legal reason.
By using this simple primer and following the resources linked, your understanding of the dark web is sure to grow.
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