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Facts about the Dark Web That Will Scare You

You've heard that the dark web is bad, but what exactly goes on there? These facts about the dark web will deeply unsettle you.

By Dr. Ethan LeviPublished 6 years ago 5 min read
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The dark web is made accessible by a software called The Onion Router. This software makes a person's presence on the internet virtually anonymous, which is what makes the dark web so nefarious. Most of the things you can do or find on the dark web you can also find in real life or on the deep net, but the dark web makes conducting suspicious activity much easier.

People can do practically everything on the dark net, from selling drugs to reading banned books. It can be used for noble pursuits, like bypassing government censorship to talk about a major issue, but more often than not it is used for, well, dark purposes. The reality is, the facts about the dark web might actually scare you.

The deep web is the majority of the internet.

The dark web is a unique part of the deep web (also known as the "hidden web"), which includes basically any website you can't access through normal search engines. While articles and goods that are found on the dark web can also be found on the deep web, the dark web is different because it is anonymous. Being on the dark web makes it a whole lot harder for someone to discover your true identity, and that is what fuels the activity that takes place there.

It's a hotbed for criminal activity.

The virtually untraceable nature of the dark web makes it a hotbed for criminal activity. Essentially, it's the black market of the internet. There are dark websites that can leak or trade your own personal information to strangers around the world, regardless of if you are on the dark web or not. Because these things can potentially affect you, it is important that you know the facts about the dark web.

Illegal weapons can be purchased on the dark net.

While it is still (unfortunately) legal for someone to purchase a machine gun in person, it is a hell of a lot easier to buy one on the dark web. You can't rely on the dark web to run background checks—especially since licensed gun shops often fail to do so, anyway. And automatic weapons aren't the only lethal weapons for sale on the dark web. Those who fancy bazookas can get them if they wish. Feel safe?

Your identity can be stolen on the dark net.

In 2014, 17.6 million people in the US were victims of identity theft. That's why you see commercials for anti-identity theft software all the time. It's also one of the disturbing facts about the dark web: your personal information, like your credit cards or banking info, can easily be bought and sold to whomever wants it, and the people responsible most likely will not be found. If you lose your ID, that can also be anonymously sold on the dark web.

People can buy hitmen there.

Of course, someone who wants to order a hit can always find a way to do it in person, but the impersonal and anonymous aspects of buying a hitman online are more convenient. Basically, if there's a service you want, someone on the dark web will provide it for you. It is possible to hire people to commit murder, fraud, or virtually any other crime imaginable on the dark net.

There are forums that talk about how best to cook people.

We told you some of the facts about the dark web would scare you. Like we said earlier, any topic you can dream up is readily available on the dark web. If some of the most notorious serial killers had access to the dark web, they probably would have committed more murders, because there is a dark website that gives tips on how best to cook women. At least, that's what Metro UK found when they researched the dark net.

False documents are available for purchase.

Terrorists have always managed to get by even without the dark web, but the dark web is still a plentiful resource for those kinds of people. Aside from being able to purchase illegal weapons, false documents such as passports, birth certificates, and social security cards can be bought on the dark net. This makes it easier for someone from another country to pass as a US citizen.

It is a haven for serious sex offenders.

Sex offenders and child pornographers can find things they like on the deep net, but they can easily get caught that way. The dark web contains the worst, most brutal porn sites you could think of. It's one of the unfortunate facts about the dark web that people can easily find a way to feed their sickness and abusive tendencies.

It thrives off of bitcoin.

Part of what makes the dark web so anonymous is that purchases have to be made with bitcoin. As you've probably recently heard, bitcoin is the digital currency that is expected to take over the economy in the years to come. Well, if that's the case, then conducting illegal transactions will not only be much easier, but much more common.

The US government runs it.

One of the scariest facts about the dark web is that it is backed by the US government. No, really. The software program that makes the dark web possible, The Onion Router, is sponsored by the US Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. So how does that work when government-run institutions like the FBI are supposed to catch criminals? Good question. Shady. Shady. Shady.

cybersecurity
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About the Creator

Dr. Ethan Levi

He is a published writer with a doctorate in philosophy who challenges literally everything and everyone. Dr. Levi strongly identifies with punk music and despises elitism. He has an affinity for flannel.

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