The dark web refers to encrypted online content that exists on darknets, overlay networks that use the internet but require specific software, configurations or authorization to access. The dark web forms a small part of the deep web, the part of the web not indexed by search engines. The dark nets which constitute the dark web include small, friend-to-peer networks as well as large, popular networks like Tor, Freenet, and I2P.
What is the dark web?
The dark web refers to encrypted online content that exists on darknets, overlay networks that use the internet but require specific software, configurations or authorization to access. The dark web forms a small part of the deep web, the part of the web not indexed by search engines. The dark nets which constitute the dark web include small, friend-to-peer networks as well as large, popular networks like Tor, Freenet, and I2P.
While the deep web refers to any online content that is not indexed by search engines, the dark web refers specifically to websites that exist on darknets and cannot be accessed without specific software or authorization. Much of the contents of the deep web are mundane and not very exciting – things like databases, library catalogs, webmail pages, registration walls, etc. The dark web, on the other hand, contains more sinister content since its anonymity makes it ripe for illegal activities.
Some key differences between the surface web, deep web and dark web:
| Surface Web | Deep Web | Dark Web |
|---|---|---|
| Accessible through regular browsers and search engines | Not indexed by search engines, but accessible through regular browsers if you know the URL | Only accessible through specialized software/authorization on darknet networks |
| Google, wikipedia, social media, blogs, etc | Webmail, user databases, library catalogs, paid content, etc | Illegal activities like drugs, hacking, piracy, etc |
So in summary, the dark web is a subset of the deep web that exists on darknets and requires special software/access to reach. The anonymity of the dark web makes it well-suited for criminal activities.
Early dark web networks
The first dark web networks emerged in the early 2000s as ways to enable anonymous online communication. Here are some of the early dark web and darknet technologies:
- Freenet – Released in 2000, Freenet was one of the first dark web networks. It used a decentralized peer-to-peer network to enable anonymous publishing, communication, and website hosting.
- Tor – First released in 2002, Tor (short for The Onion Router) is currently the most popular way to access the dark web. It anonymizes traffic by routing it through a network of volunteer relays.
- I2P – The Invisible Internet Project is another anonymous network layer released in 2003. Like Tor, it uses onion routing to protect identities.
- Zeronet – Released in 2015, Zeronet uses Tor and Bitcoin cryptography to enable anonymous hosting of decentralized websites and applications.
These early dark web networks were mainly created by academics and cypherpunks aiming to enable anonymous communication and whistleblowing. However, they soon attracted more illicit use cases as well.
Illegal dark web markets
The anonymity provided by dark web networks eventually led to the creation of illegal darknet markets for trading drugs, weapons, and other illegal goods. Here are some of the most (in)famous dark web markets over the years:
- Silk Road – Founded in 2011, Silk Road was the first modern darknet market. It used Tor and Bitcoin to facilitate anonymous drug trading before being shut down by the FBI in 2013.
- Atlantis – Atlantis emerged in 2013 after the fall of Silk Road as the largest darknet market at the time, focused on drugs and illegal services.
- AlphaBay – Created in 2014, AlphaBay soon became the largest dark web market. It had over 240,000 users and 40,000 vendors before being taken down in an FBI-Interpol operation in 2017.
- Dream Market – After AlphaBay’s demise, Dream Market became the largest marketplace until it voluntarily shut down in 2019.
These underground markets expanded the scope of the dark web dramatically by enabling trade in illegal goods at a massive scale. This attracted more users to darknets both as buyers and sellers.
Anonymity, privacy, and the dark web
The dark web was not originally created specifically for criminal use – it arose as a way to enable online anonymity and privacy. However, the criminal element is an inevitable byproduct of that anonymity. This raises important questions around balancing privacy and misuse:
- Is anonymity itself problematic, or just how some people use it?
- Can we create private networks that discourage abuse?
- Is the dark web mainly used for harmful vs. legitimate aims?
- How can law enforce shut down illegal activity without harming legitimate use?
These issues reflect an intrinsic tension around privacy and order – the same technologies that enable tax evasion or drug trafficking also facilitate whistleblowing and political dissent under oppressive regimes. There are arguments on both sides, but most experts agree that some access to anonymous networks is vital for free speech.
Perhaps future dark web networks can institute safeguards like reputation systems and identity verification to reduce abuse. But for now, the debate continues on how best to balance privacy and security on the internet’s dark underbelly.
Recent evolution of the dark web
In recent years, both positive and negative dark web usage has evolved in new directions:
More sophisticated criminal markets
After early dark web markets were repeatedly shut down, new ones have emerged using more sophisticated technology and business models to avoid the same fate:
- Better compartmentalization – separate servers for different functions like forum, storefront, escrow to avoid single points of failure
- Stronger anonymity – required use of privacy coins like Monero instead of Bitcoin
- Decentralization – using distributed hosted sites instead of centralized markets
This fragmentation into smaller but smarter markets has made it harder for law enforcement to shut down dark web criminal activity entirely.
Whistleblowing and activism
The dark web has enabled whistleblowers and activists to anonymously share sensitive documents or communicate without fear of reprisal:
- Edward Snowden used Tor and encrypted email to communicate with reporters about the NSA leaks
- Pro-democracy activists in oppressive regimes use darknets to organize protests and share censored information
- Wikileaks submitted documents through Tor and still maintains many onion sites
So despite its criminal element, the dark web remains a refuge for those aiming to expose corruption and effect political change.
Legitimate uses on the rise
More legitimate organizations and businesses are also turning to darknets to protect users’ privacy:
- Facebook and Google both offer Tor onion services for encrypted access to their sites
- SecureDrop based on Tor and encrypted email enables anonymous whistleblowing
- Cryptocurrency apps use Tor to hide users’ financial activities
As privacy becomes more valuable, we may see further adoption of dark web technology even by mainstream sites and apps.
Conclusion
In summary, the dark web originated from efforts to create anonymous networks, but soon became dominated by criminal marketplaces enabled by that same anonymity. However, it remains fundamental for privacy and continues to evolve both for illicit and legitimate uses. The challenge for society is finding the right balance where anonymity enables free speech but not crime.