Whenever we think of the term Dark web, we always assume it’s something related to the dark side of the internet like illegal pornography, criminal activities, cyber crimes, and stealing personal information. Well, it isn’t what we think, to learn about the dark web, let us first learn about the internet.
In simple words, the Internet is the interconnection between any two or more devices for the purpose of sharing information and resources. And all the information that we can access using a search engine like google is called as ClearWeb. In other words, all the daily activities we do on the internet are a part of the clear web. Whereas anything that isn’t indexed or doesn’t appear in the search result is part of the dark web. It can be as simple as your chat history. Since chat histories aren’t indexed, they are also part of the dark web.
Table of Contents
What is Dark Web?
The part of the internet which aren’t indexed by traditional search engines like google or bing and needs some special browser to access the contents is called Dark Web. Contrary to the popular belief that the dark web is the negative part of the internet, it has both positive and negative sides.
But if you want to classify it as good or bad, it depends on how you use it. You might be surprised to know that the main funders of the dark web are the US government and the most popular search engine out there, Google. This shows that although the dark web has earned itself a bad reputation due to its users being involved in different criminal activities, there’s something good in the dark web that these organizations saw.
The Good Side
You must be wondering what good the dark web, which is popularised for its negative side, has to offer. The main attraction of the dark web is anonymity, which means users can maintain their privacy and browse the internet without the fear of being tracked. We are all aware of how different technologies we use today are responsible for data privacy breach and how big of an issue data privacy breach is. So users can stay anonymous on the dark web and browse the internet without the fear of being tracked.
On a personal level, we can access any type of content that is blocked in a specific country using the dark web since the dark web masks the user’s IP without leaving any traces behind.
Another positive side of the dark web is that it provides free speech to users. By staying anonymous, the oppressed people or victims of any kind of violence can share their beliefs and stories through the dark web. This feature is also helpful for journalists and activists who are ready to fight against something big without the fear of being monitored. Some countries heavily censor the content the users can post and interact with, the dark web provides a platform for such types of people to express themselves without any fear.
The Bad Side
The dark web has gained a reputation for being a hub of illegal activities. The dark web has become a market for Illegal drugs, stolen credit card information, pornography, and weapons where anyone can sell and buy these things on the dark web. Even financial transactions are done through cryptocurrencies to maintain anonymity. Criminal organizations can use the dark web for conducting illegal activities without the fear of getting caught. The dark web offers a home to various illegal activities like hacking, identity theft, and fraud. The dark web is also home to several forums that promote hate speech and extremist ideologies.
The anonymity provided by the dark web makes it almost impossible to track down the users promoting hate speech which often leads to real-world violence. Another significant concern about the dark web is the accessibility of child pornography. Due to its anonymity, people search and look up disturbing content like child pornography since it is banned on the normal internet or the clear web. Several websites on the dark web are only designed for the sale of child pornography, and knowing they cannot be tracked by any law agency makes this case even worse.
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Conclusion
The Dark Web is a space that is intricate and has several facets, encompassing both favorable and unfavorable aspects. It provides a platform for the expression of opinions without identification and protects freedom of speech. However, it is also connected to unlawful activities and markets, such as selling illegal substances or stolen data. As it is a dynamic entity, it is uncertain how the Dark Web will shape society and the internet in the future. As with any technological advancement, the Dark Web can be employed for beneficial or adverse purposes, and it is the responsibility of individuals and society to use it sensibly.
