Whenever people listen to the word dark web, they instantly think that this is the place where only criminal activities like drug dealing, and buying and selling of weapons occurs. Even now, there are many misconceptions and a raising question is the dark web only for criminals? Come along with us and find the answer on your own whether it is only used for shady things or the dark net world also has some legal uses.
Reality Check of the Dark Web
The dark web is the hidden part of the internet that was initially, created for privacy and anonymity but now it has thousands of illegal uses and terabytes of information for sale. Also, the dark net needs a special browser like Tor to access, because it encrypts the user connection and makes it useful for criminals. But it is not the only use of it, there is a lot of people who use dark web for good and harmless purposes. We can say that the Dark web is a place where anonymity is supreme and it attracts people who want enhanced privacy, and anonymity.
Moreover, the reality and the impact of the dark net is still the most debatic topic among many cybersecurity experts, law enforcement officials, and privacy advocates because while it has numerous illegal uses, it has also some real and unnegligable uses including freedom of speech.
Is the Dark Web Only For Criminals?
Still, many people have misconceptions about the dark net and they have the first impression that it is only used for criminals and every activity is illegal. This is not true, like any other story the dark web also has two sides, one side is used by criminals, and the other side is used by individuals and organizations who want anonymity and enhanced privacy for harmless purposes. Moreover, there is nothing hidden that the dark web is a haven for criminal activities and even 45% of the onion sites are linked to illegal activities. But, still, people in countries that censor information use the dark web to access unrestricted media, communicate, and send important information anonymously.
Many people think that the dark web is only for criminals because there is an increased number of criminal activities that cannot be easily traced because of the encryption. Let’s explore more about the legal and illegal uses of the dark net that no one can deny.
Legal Uses of Dark Web
The dark web provides a safe platform for individuals to communicate and exchange information without revealing their identity and this is something that doesn’t only benefit criminals. People working on sensitive topics, whistleblowers, journalists, social activists, and those operating issues in oppressive authoritarian governments, need privacy to keep going with their activities and the dark web perfectly fits this purpose. Many individuals who are concerned about their privacy shield their online activities from praying eyes. But it is important to understand that the government not only spying on criminals.
Also, there are many countries where websites are banned for criticizing the government or showing content that goes beyond their limitations, in this case, many people use the dark web as a window to the truth and to take different points of view.
Illegal Uses of Dark Web
Drugs, weapons, stolen credentials, pornography, red rooms, and many other illegal and unethical things are hot business on the dark web. While many people don’t pay attention to personal information, cybercriminals trade these for a few dollars in black markets that exist on the dark web. Also, the dark web is considered a hub of malicious activities, spreading viruses, and spyware that are designed to steal personal information. Not only this, but when you are on the dark web, there is a continuous risk of financial scams, ransomware attacks, and blackmailing threats due to the large presence of criminals and cybercrime groups that are made to do these kinds of activities.
Is the Dark Web for Everyone?
Now we have an answer to the question that is the dark web only for criminals which is no, this web can be used by many other people for harmless purposes. But does it mean that it is now for everyone? Let’s find out.
The fact that accessing the dark net is legal raises the misconception that it is for everyone. But wait, it’s not completely right and it is important to understand that accessing the dark web is illegal but the things on it are not legal including selling or buying weapons, guns, drugs, and many other criminal activities.
Moreover, thousands of websites seem legitimate but they are designed to steal your credentials or personal information from your devices. Anonymity means that you can find highly illegal and unethical content, and watching such material can pose ethical risks and can be extremely disturbing to a normal user. Although there is no denying that there are many harmless things on the dark web it should never be the first choice for anyone. We recommend everyone do their own research and try to find most of the things on the surface web to stay away from any risk.
