What is the Deep Web?

The deep web is the section of the internet that is hidden from the public. The deep web requires authentication to access the data inside. It can also be known as the hidden or invisible web. The deep web holds the content that’s invisible to search engines.

The deep web is mistakenly associated with the dark web’s illegal activity. The deep web is mostly harmless and important for protecting our personal information and privacy such as online banking.

How to access the deep web

Accessing the deep web is a bit more complicated than accessing the surface web. You can access the deep web by using a specific program called Tor or The Onion Router for browsers that are not Tor supported.

What you can find on the deep web

Most of the deep web is harmless and has no harmful intentions. The deep web can also be used for malicious purposes like selling illegal drugs, stolen items or information.

Why people use the deep web

People use the deep web to keep their information private. You can find blogs, websites or other forms of social media on the deep web.

How criminals use the deep web

Criminals have found ways to exploit both the surface web and the dark/deep web using them as a tool for hiding suspicious activity from law enforcement agencies like the FBI. This way they are able to get away with malicious intent without being caught by law enforcement agencies. Investigators must focus their efforts on going through data logs, emails, internet searches and social media to find clues and suspicious activity.

The current state of the deep web

The deep web is mostly harmless and important for protecting our personal information and privacy such as online banking. The dark web’s illegal activities are a problem but not as big a problem as it was back in 2012 when Silk Road was shut down by the FBI due to selling illegal drugs over the internet.

Silk Road was an underground website that allowed drug dealers to sell their products online, serving customers all around the world. Shutting down these websites is not stopping criminals from finding new ways to get away with malicious intent online without being caught by law enforcement agencies.

Safety tips for using the deep web

If you choose to access the deep web, always be aware of the potential dangers. Make sure not to include any personal information about yourself online and never give out your personal information for a chance as well.

What you should keep in mind about the deep web

The deep web is mostly harmless and important for protecting our privacy from random people on the surface web. If someone finds out your personal information then they can easily steal your identity and use it against you or commit frauds and scams with your personal information since all they need is an address and social security number to commit certain types of crimes. It is not as safe as accessing it via a special program called Tor but at least we are taking steps in securing our personal information on the internet instead of leaving it out in the open for anyone to find.

The deep web has been increasing in popularity in recent years due to its anonymity and protection of personal information.

Frequently asked questions about the deep web

• Is the deep web just for criminals? No, the deep web isn’t just for criminals. Many people use it as a way to protect their information such as eCommerce companies that put their customers’ credit card details in and don’t want hackers to find out what they buy online. Some other uses include keeping personal information private from random people on the surface web by never giving out your personal information to strangers.
• How to access the deep web safely? When it comes to accessing the deep web safely, you might have to use a specific program called Tor. By using a program like this then you can access certain websites and data that are not accessible on the surface web.
• How is privacy protected on the deep web? Privacy is mainly protected by the lack of search crawlers or search engines browsing through them so users don’t leave any personal information out in the open for someone else to find. There are also private forums where users share sensitive information with each other in complete privacy without giving up their identities such as anonymous sharing platforms like reddit.com/r/deepweb or 4chan with its /x/ board.
• Is it possible to be 100% anonymous on the deep web? It is very hard to be 100% anonymous on the deep web but you can take steps in protecting your information like using programs that don’t give up your real IP address or Tor.
• What is the deep web used for? The deep web is mostly used for sharing sensitive information or anything that requires privacy.
• What are the advantages of the deep web? Deep web users can access private forums that regular internet users cannot see. Other uses include eCommerce stores, online banking, searching for certain valuable items online like antiques and art pieces without having to give out your personal information which is especially useful in times where identity theft is increasing.
• What is the difference between the surface web and the deep web? The deep web can be defined as parts of the internet that are not indexed by search engines. It contains a lot of data that isn’t accessible on the surface web. It also houses all personal information including online banking, credit card details, social security numbers (SSN), passwords, addresses etc which makes it more valuable in terms of privacy protection but at risk in terms of hacking and identity theft since there are no laws or regulations preventing people from stealing your information.
• Is the deep web dangerous? The deep web can be very dangerous. It contains content that is highly illegal and inappropriate for viewing especially since there are no laws or regulations from governing bodies preventing people from accessing it.
• What is the deep web made up of? The deep web consists of a lot of data that search crawlers can’t see including encoded images, databases and books. It also contains websites that are not indexed or hosted on the public internet typically those that use virtual private networks (VPN) to ensure privacy and security.
• How much data exists on the deep web? An estimate of 90% of web pages exist on the deep web and that there is more than 100 times as much data stored in it compared to what’s on the surface.
• Is it illegal to view content from the deep web? No, viewing content from the deep web isn’t illegal unless you are accessing content that contains illegal activity.

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See also:

• Non-human traffic
• Clear web
• CAPTCHA