The dark web is a major hub for civilians, journalists, researchers, and criminals. These users have different uses for dark links due to varying purposes. For example, criminals use this internet for illegal activities, while researchers surf dark web sites to gather data.
This is why the dark web holds different importance to internet users. If you want to learn more about it, you’re on the right platform. Let’s look at all the details you need to know about the importance of the dark web.
Why Is The Dark Web Important For The Internet?
The dark web is important for the internet because it accounts for 5% of its total percentage. This is a greater amount than the surface web. Remember, finding the accurate size of the dark internet is not possible, which is why this figure is an estimate.
You may think that 5% is nothing, but that is not true. Thousands of non-indexed websites come under this web. Many legitimate surface websites also have Tor versions on the dark net.
The dark web is mainly important for the internet because it is the primary web that offers anonymity and privacy to users, even from government agencies. This is because of the lack of regulation and hidden mechanisms of sites.
Why Is The Dark Web Important For People?
Here are some reasons why dark web sites hold importance to internet users:
The Dark Web Offers Anonymity
The dark web offers anonymity to users through its decentralized and anonymous node structure. Tor’s traffic is routed through multiple web clients by nodes that make tracking unviable. Information is transferred from one relay to another.
A key importance of these relays is that they could be anywhere in the world. Besides that, the concealment of a user’s IP address by Tor’s security features and the individual’s VPN also ensures the person’s identity remains hidden.
This is why Tor is important for those who want to keep their identity hidden and enjoy better online privacy. A similar level of anonymity cannot be achieved on the surface web because all websites and server hosts track user activity.
IP addresses are stored on the surface internet. Web pages are also indexed, which is why it is easier for government agencies to track websites on the ordinary internet and find more about their users.
The dark internet does not store activity records, and most sites are protected by encryption layers to avoid government interference. These features make the web important for regular users wanting privacy and criminals looking to set up discrete sites.
Users also don’t accidentally end up on the dark web due to the requirement of a special browser. This is why the users of this internet are very specific and mainly those who want to benefit from dark web links.
The Dark Web Enhances Freedom Of Speech
Commenting on social posts and discussion forums on the surface web is risky for various reasons. All internet users, including government agencies, can see those comments. Influential people can also view your discussions by monitoring specific sites such as Quora and Reddit.
Posting controversial comments about politics, international news, and crimes by influential people on the surface web can lead to severe repercussions. For example, you may be charged with a hefty fine for defamation and other crimes.
Your comments may also be removed, preventing you from spreading your message. Such oppression is common on the surface web when reporting crimes. This is why you cannot enjoy freedom of speech.
Countries with legal restrictions may also block discussion and news sites to prevent people from talking freely. The dark internet is a savior for those who want to exercise their right to speak freely. Discussion forums on this web are not regulated by the government.
This means that once you comment on dark forums, no one can delete your post unless you do it yourself. So, your message will remain there to spread awareness. Sites that face regional blocks can also be viewed on the dark internet easily.
You can also create blogging or journalism sites to make people in foreign countries aware of your country’s political situation. Bypassing censorship restrictions and using the dark web may be illegal in some countries, but you can keep yourself more secure through the anonymity offered by Tor.
Dark Web Sites Can Be Used For Holding People Accountable
You may have heard about the phrase “speak truth to power” for holding people with power accountable. The term may be easy to say, but people in countries with censorship and other restrictions understand the true weight of the phrase.
This is because trying to hold people accountable in oppressive states can lead to imprisonment or death. People who cannot avoid their moral convictions can use the dark web to avoid such repercussions while holding people accountable.
The original purpose of the creation of Tor was to get information from enemy zones of the US with communication restrictions. You can hold people accountable by sending crime reports to government agencies in encrypted files.
You may also communicate safely with international journalists to get your story out before your own government interferes. This is mainly possible due to various anonymous chatting and email platforms on the dark internet. These links enhance your privacy and offer you greater security so that you can keep your life safe.
Sending messages through encrypted dark web sites also reduces the risk of interception by hackers. This is why the internet is important for those trying to get justice but facing negative consequences on the surface web for speaking up.
Dark Web Links Can Be Used By The Military And FBI To Gather Intelligence
The dark web was used by the US Navy agents in 2002 to communicate freely without detection by enemy states. This internet was then opened to the public to obscure the activities of the agents better. Since then, many other agencies have used the dark internet for similar purposes.
Government agents can communicate through anonymous dark web sites, which are accessible by official individuals only. This is because invitation-only and password-protected sites are easier to create on the dark internet.
Besides that, military agents also benefit from the dark internet when gathering intelligence. Various dark web monitoring tools are used by the US government to track conspiracy sites and terrorist groups on the dark net.
This action is difficult because criminals also use advanced tools to obscure their activities. However, it is known that illegal sites are not immune to government interference. Many takedowns over the years have proved this.
For example, the FBI shut down Playpen in 2015. This was a dark site that hosted more than 20,000 images promoting child pornography. The Silk Road was also taken down in 2013, which was a significant event that spread more awareness about the dark internet and its illegal uses.
Government agents also use the dark web to get tips from their anonymous sources working undercover in criminal organizations. So, while the dark net may be disadvantageous for law enforcement agencies, it also helps them to some extent.
Journalists Can Communicate Freely With Their Audience On The Dark Web
The dark internet is also important for journalists due to its various legal uses. You can post articles without restrictions on this web about the content. It is a great hub for publishing sensitive investigative and other news posts.
For journalists, it is important to deliver accurate and unfiltered news to their audience. This is sometimes not possible on the surface web because of censorship restrictions, news platform guidelines, and other reasons. People may also object to some content due to cultural and political dissent.
Dark web links offer the freedom of posting that many journalists crave. Many news sites understand this, which is why they have created official Tor websites to post content that will resonate with their audience. A prime example of such a platform is ProPublica.
Another reason why the dark net is important for journalists is that many readers prefer to remain anonymous when viewing articles. This is especially true for those who live in oppressive states. Even opening a post about the political situation of their country can get people into trouble in such states.
That is where the Tor version of news sites comes to the rescue of readers. Visits to the dark mirror sites are not recorded in the browser or server history of the web. This is why government officials in the state may not know that a resident is reading controversial content.
Law Enforcement Agencies Use The Dark Web To Get Tips
There are many ways for people to send tips to their regional police departments, FBI, CIA, and much more. Some individuals visit the government facility to meet with an official and file a report. A few people may also call helpline numbers to send tips.
Sending an anonymous package with key information about a crime can also help law enforcement officials with their investigation. However, all these methods can put the informant at risk. This is because criminals may be able to track them through phone records or courier records about the informant.
People may also get killed because of reporting crimes, especially when influential or high-profile criminals are involved. To offer better security to people, government agencies have set up dark web sites for getting anonymous and encrypted tips.
One of the first government agencies with an official Tor site is the CIA. Many law enforcement organizations also have SecureDrop accounts to receive anonymous tips from whistleblowers, crime witnesses, and other people.
The dark web allows law enforcement officials to get useful tips from people who are too afraid to visit their facilities or don’t want to reveal their identity due to abetting risks and safety reasons. So, without the dark internet, many crimes would have been left unreported.
The Dark Web Is A Safe Platform For Whistleblowers
Many people believe that whistleblowing involves serious crimes only. However, this act can also be used for reporting other issues. For example, a sports athlete may want to speak about getting bullied by other colleagues representing their country nationally.
Reporting such incidents on the surface web can be a risk for people because whistleblowing is frowned upon in many countries and industries. You may not get a job elsewhere if you report a bullying incident at your former workplace.
Even if you get a new job, your new colleagues may not be supportive of your actions. They may also treat you with bias without breaking any legal boundaries. This is why you may be afraid to speak up about different incidents in the future.
The dark web becomes the savior of many people with similar stories. It is a safe platform for whistleblowers due to many anonymous sites and programs. Some dark web sites also offer people the option of publishing their information automatically if they get kidnapped or imprisoned.
Such sites mainly enable you to upload your files with sensitive information and set a day or time that you must log in every month, week, or day. If you fail to log into the site at the specified date, the platform will upload the information on the dark web.
People Can Engage In Illegal Activities More Easily By Using Dark Web Links
It is always recommended to avoid engaging in illegal activities to live a better life. However, you may still want to take the risk due to different reasons. Engaging in criminal activities such as child pornography on the surface web can allow law officers to catch you more easily.
However, you can enhance your security by operating a site on the dark internet. When you send data through the Tor network, the browser encrypts it with relay keys. This encryption is done multiple times to ensure the location of the sender is never revealed.
Watching illegal content on the dark internet is also easier for people. For example, you may use torrenting sites to download pirated content without legal risks on this web. This is why dark links are important for many people.
You can engage in minor crimes that may cause you to be charged with a fine if you had engaged in the activity on the surface internet. Reading copyrighted books on the dark net is also easy due to many onion services.
Illegal activities put the dark internet in a bad spotlight, but it is also one of the features of this web that attracts most visitors. Many regular users are also intrigued by controversial services on the dark internet, enabling them to try using this web at least once.
Criminals Use Create Dark Web Sites For Monetizing
Everyone engaging in illegal activities on the dark internet is not a criminal. Some people may be regular internet users reading pirated content or watching morally questionable videos. Such users are different from dark criminals because they are not involved in selling suspicious or stolen items.
If there was an accurate way to determine dark net user groups, it is likely that criminals would make up the majority percentage. This is because people can use the dark internet’s security features to settle their criminal marketplaces easily.
There are also different ways criminals can use the dark net for monetizing. They may collaborate with hackers to steal the data of other dark users and then sell that on different sites on the same web. Most people who are targeted through such crimes are corporate workers.
Dark internet criminals are also famous for breaching the firewalls of well-developed legal companies on the surface web. They steal account information from the company’s clients and sell them on their dark sites to earn money.
For example, ChatGPT is one of the recent platforms that have been targeted by dark criminals. More than 100,000 of its account credentials have been stolen and being sold on the dark internet.
The Dark Web Is A Major Source Of Information
Another reason why the dark internet is important for people is that it is a good source of information. There are articles on the dark net that you may not find on the surface web. For example, you may read guides about unique tips to enhance safety on this part of the internet.
There are also dark web sites that offer you free access to content that usually comes at a cost on the surface web. For example, Sci-Hub is a dark site that is loved by academic students, researchers, and other users. It offers access to scientific journals that are kept hidden behind a paywall on the surface web.
There are also dark sites that have a similar purpose as Z-Library. Such platforms offer free electronic academic and reading books to users for a better experience. Besides pirated sites, there are also original magazines and blogging platforms on the dark internet.
The Hidden Wiki is a directory that also posts informational articles on the dark internet. This is why the web is more important for those who face difficulties in finding specific information on regular browsers such as Chrome.
Many sites that are blocked on the surface internet also have Tor mirror versions that allow users to access their content easily.
Why Is The Dark Web Important For Criminals?
Let’s look at some things that make the dark web important for criminals:
Proxying Attacks Are Easier To Conduct On The Dark Web
The anonymity of the dark internet enables criminals to attack users through proxy services or hacking. This is mainly possible because of the lack of HTTPS security that is applied to URLs on the surface web. All safety precautions that are automatically offered to internet users on the surface web are lost when the same users visit onion links.
This is why hackers can trick dark users into believing that the site they are browsing is safe and legitimate. Sometimes, you may not even realize the proxy platform because of its appearance and content. Programs may load properly and offer you access to various services, such as downloading photos or books.
However, installing content from such sites can put your device and information at risk. This is because the file may be infected with silent remote malware. It may install a remote tool on your device that can steal your information in the background.
Some remote programs can also offer hackers access to your device settings. Incidents like these happen on the surface web, but they are rare. The dark internet makes it easy for criminals to engage in hacking and other proxy attacks.
Because of this feature, the dark internet is important for many cyber criminals.
Dark Web Sites For Drugs And Exotic Animals Are Easier To Maintain On The Internet
Criminals also love the dark internet for running marketplaces for the sale of drugs and exotic animals. The primary reason behind this is that they can keep their activity hidden from government agencies because dark sites are not indexed.
Illegal platforms on the dark internet are also easier to maintain because Tor offers many encryption and security features to site owners that you would have to buy at an additional cost on the surface web. Setting up Bitcoin and other crypto payment options is also easier on dark sites.
Criminals can get paid easily on the dark internet and perform their operations without much interference. Another reason the dark internet is important for illegal marketplace owners is that it can reach customers more easily.
People on the surface internet rarely visit suspicious sites or purchase drugs and other illegal services online due to fear of getting tracked. Some people also avoid criminal marketplaces because they know the government can trace the purchase and put them in jail.
The same people feel more secure when purchasing illegal items through the dark internet. This is because of the anonymity and online privacy that Tor offers. The non-indexing feature of dark sites is also appealing to various internet users.
Secretive Dark Links For Communication Make Conspiracy Plotting Easier
Terrorism is a serious issue that many countries face due to political dissent, cultural differences, and other problems. Many terrorist groups have dark sites for communicating because the web is less regulated than surface platforms.
Many terrorist groups also share videos before or after their attacks through the dark net. The web masks their location and helps them maintain online privacy. This is why the dark internet is important for conspiracy groups.
There are also secretive chatting platforms on the dark internet that make it easy for terrorist groups to spread instructions to supporters around different parts of the world. Many examples of conspiracy plotting on the dark internet have been highlighted in different TV series.
Governments of different countries also warn their residents to refrain from the dark internet due to terrorist groups and conspiracy sites that can put them in danger. So you can understand the security that the dark net gives to criminal organizations.
Another feature of the dark net that appeals to terrorist organizations is that their site can never be shut down completely. Some governments may take down their dark link using advanced tools. However, members of the organization can create new mirror platforms to continue with their communications and operations.
The Dark Web Can Be Used To Train Cybercriminals
The dark net also holds importance to criminals because it can allow them to train people. Some hackers may start a blog with tutorials and guides that can help people with performing proxy attacks, phishing scams, and much more.
Many people who want to earn money illegally end up on the dark internet for useful guides and training courses. That is why this web is important for those who want to master cybercriminal activities. Some criminals also earn money while training bad habits to clients because they may charge a fee for explaining hacking tricks.
Some sites may also offer you access to remote malware bots and teach you how to install them on someone’s device. Many regular internet users arrive on the dark net for this service because it allows them to spy on their loved ones, colleagues, and other people easily.
Why Do Business Owners Use The Dark Web?
Many well-developed companies with official sites on the surface web also view dark web sites frequently despite having no official presence on the Tor Browser. Here are some reasons why it is important for business owners to monitor the dark web:
Understanding the Dark Web Allow Businesses to Protect Themselves Better
Legal surface web platforms may not have Tor sites to keep themselves safe from crossing legal boundaries without realizing it. Despite that, owners of some of these sites may still use the dark internet to protect their business.
This is because understanding the platforms on the web can help businesses enhance their security measures. You may want to surf the dark internet to determine whether a site with your business name is on the dark net.
A rival may create your platform’s mirror version on the dark net to reduce your credibility. If you believe that people cannot create fake versions of your site on the dark internet, you’re mistaken.
Ahmia, a search engine, faced a similar issue in 2015. Its founder discovered that the web had a fake mirror, Ahmia, that was redirecting users to scam sites. This affected the search engine’s credibility significantly because users didn’t know whether they could trust the search engine.
As a business owner, you can use dark search engines to determine whether the web has a mirror site of your official platform. This will allow you to take fast action against the fake business.
Dark Web Monitoring Can Help Businesses Become Aware Of Data Breaches Faster
There are various ways business owners can perform dark web monitoring. You may search directories and other links on the dark internet manually to understand whether your site information has been leaked on the web.
Another way to know whether the dark net has breached your company accounts is by using online dark monitoring tools. These virtual programs can surf the internet or use different metrics to find out whether your firewall has been breached.
This is why you may use the dark net to become aware of stolen data incidents and offer better security to your customers. The best thing about monitoring the dark net frequently is that you keep yourself updated about illegal activities against business owners.
Dark Web Data Can Help You Get Untapped Insights For Your Surface Web Business
Dark net data trends can be helpful for different business owners in many ways. You may view popular sites on the dark internet and the types of services they are offering within the same niche. Using that information to provide similar but legal services on the surface web may help you boost your business.
You may also obtain valuable insights through different dark incidents. For example, people may post on dark blogs how they breached a specific company’s security layers to steal data. This information can help you tackle problems within your system to avoid facing a similar problem.
Encountering hidden data that can help you improve business sales is also easy on the dark internet. Being mindful of your dark activity can help you benefit from valuable insights without compromising your company’s reputation.
Final Words
That was your complete guide to why the dark web is important for people. There are various uses of this web, which may be legal or illegal. This is why the internet holds different importance to different users.
Criminals love the privacy and non-indexing features of the dark internet. Journalists prefer the restriction-free environment of this web to post uncensored content easily.
The dark net is important for academic students because they can use different libraries to access free reading material. Some sites may offer free journals, while others may provide electronic course books to help you save money.