Deep web

{{bronze}}{{internet}}{{cquote|
The dark web is a hidden area of the internet accessible only through a specialized browser. Dark web sites allow users to remain anonymous through encryption, which makes it an appealing place for criminals to carry out various of illegal activities. That includes the buying and selling of stolen personal information.
|||Experian, trying to scare you into giving them money<ref>https://www.experian.com/protection/free-dark-web-email-scan/</ref>}}

For over a decade, the terms '''dark web''' and '''deep web''' have permeated news reports, YouTube videos, and sales pitches as scary places where spooky things happen. Usually surrounding these talking points are either a sales pitch or a monetized video with a Patreon. The dark web and the deep web are painted as being rampant with illicit marketplaces for drugs and data leaks {{---}} and in even more daring reporting: [[red room]]s, [[snuff film]]s, and hitmen {{---}} oh my! And in the center of this all {{---}} the Tor network. With the breaking news of the Silk Road, suddenly the public was deadset on the Tor network housing the most deranged debaucheries humanity could offer. Going deeper down the Tor network rabbit hole, you too could find denied atrocities beyond imagination {{---}} and maybe even meet the boss of the deep web himself?!

In reality, most illicit activities occur on the clearnet, sites that are easily accessible by anyone who knows the public domain. While illegal activity can and do happen on the Tor network, it is significantly less than the clearnet. That's right, a drug using teen doesn't need to go through the arduous task of downloading another browser when they can order fentanyl-laced drugs on Facebook as easily as they can order a pizza!<ref>https://coloradosun.com/2023/03/08/social-media-marketplace-illicit-drugs-colorado-ag-report/</ref> Hey, we didn't say criminals were smart...

==A linguistics lesson==
The deep web is the part of the World Wide Web that is not discoverable through search engines.<ref name="dictionary bog" /><ref name="bergman2001"/> In contrast, the dark web is the part of the Web that is an overlay network that can only be accessed with special software.<ref name="dictionary bog" /> News and media outlets often conflate the terms as the same thing. Some examples of dark web networks are the Tor network and I2P network. Not all Tor sites are also part of the deep web, since many of them can be found via search engines, both specialized ones, and via Tor2web through regular ones. Because the Tor network often comes into the conversation of the deep web and dark web, we'll primarily focus on the Tor network, however, keep in mind, the dark web isn't ''just'' the Tor network.

==Indexability==
{{cquote|The dark web is a subsection (a small one, at that) of the deep web.|||LifeHacker, talking out of its ass<ref>https://lifehacker.com/the-difference-between-the-dark-web-and-deep-web?test_uuid=02DN02BmbRCcASIX6xMQtY9</ref>}}

The dark web and deep web commonly come up in the same conversation. Because of this, whether explicit or implied, it is asserted that the dark web is a subset of the deep web. In reality, the Tor network is indexable and is actively being indexed by crawlers such as the Fresh Onions<ref>https://github.com/scorelab/TorScrapper</ref> crawler. Anyone can utilize the many Fresh Onion site mirrors and search their indexes. In fact, the Hidden Wiki's many clones in and of themselves, ''are'' indexes, albeit human maintained ones. The Torch and Ahmia.fi search engines are traditional search engines too.<ref>https://hackread.com/dark-web-search-engines-tor-browser-2022/</ref> They aren't very good, but hey, they're search engines. They count!

However, there is a kernel of truth: Tor network URLs are built to not be easily guessed and discoverable. URLs are derived from a server's public key and look something like this:

<pre>
mysitenameyx4fi3l6x2gyzmtmgxjyqyorj9qsb5r543izcwymle.onion
</pre>

While a web administrator can generate a vanity url,<ref>https://community.torproject.org/onion-services/advanced/vanity-addresses/</ref> it is time consuming and feasibly most of the URL will have to be randomly generated. Due to how the Tor network sets up DNS, normally you cannot connect to a site by its IP address {{---}} or even know what the IP address is. Access is only possible through its onion URL. Therefore, if set up properly and if the URL is not shared publicly, it's possible to generate a completely private onion host and communication channel.

==Tor, its government ties, and true intentions==
The US government ties to the project are undeniable. In the mid-1990s, the {{wpl|U.S. Naval Research Laboratory}} patented the Onion routing protocol<ref>https://worldwide.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US6266704</ref>. Additionally both the "U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor" and "U.S. Department of State" donate to the project.

One frequent concern is the Tor network and Tor Browser being a honeypot.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/TOR/comments/nigs6k/tor_is_just_a_honeypot/</ref><ref>https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/tor-browser-nsa-honeypot/</ref> However, despite unfounded controversies,<ref>https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/sam-bent-tor-browser-s-latest-update-could-get-you-fingerprinted/26973</ref> the Tor network, time and time again, provides a reasonably secure and trustless private network. The project is open source, thus making it easier to spot backdoors and harder to introduce them. Moreover, the Tor project's website is transparent on attacks such as the [https://spec.torproject.org/vanguards-spec/full-vanguards.html Sybil attack] and malicious nodes, and the project provides extensive documentation on the protocol and its limitations. The reason most people are aware attacks can be launched against the Tor network in the first place is because the Tor Project meticulously documents such attacks<ref>https://community.torproject.org/threat-model/threat-positioning/network/</ref> and announces global attacks when spotted.<ref>https://darknetking.com/channel/online-safety/tor-project-reports-on-coordinated-attack-against-tor-network/</ref>

Believe it or not, sites like Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter have Tor Hidden Services. The reason is simple: in certain countries, these sites are censored or blocked entirely. Heck, there's even a Wikipedia article titled {{wpl|Censorship of Twitter||.}} The Tor Project, as the home page states, provides a resource and avenue to overcome government censorship. While companies and influencers are preoccupied with tarnishing a legitimate tool's name, there are people who used Tor Browser to overcome an oppressive government and online censorship. Believe it or not, if the Tor Network was purely a haven for illegal activity, the US government wouldn't continue funding the project. More likely, the US government's motivation is more likely invested in promoting the spread of Democracy in foreign countries and utilizing the technology in intelligence operations.

== Content ==
By 2013, with the {{wpl|Silk Road (marketplace)|Silk Road}} shut-down all over the news, the term "Deep Web" embedded itself into mass consciousness as this [[Urban legend |dark scary thing out there]]. While it is true that there are drug and illegal markets on the darkweb, as illustrated in deep dot web's top drug-markets list<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20150224092804/https://www.deepdotweb.com/</ref> for example, this is also true for the clearnet. Please see below for a list of, now defuct, cyber criminal hubs on the clearnet:

* {{wpl|Raid Forums}}
* {{wpl|BreachForums}}
* XSS Forum<ref>https://cyberint.com/blog/dark-web/the-downfall-of-xss-forum/</ref>
* Lots and lots of Telegram channels.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/09/06/telegram-ceo-durov-announces-crackdown-on-illicit-activities-amid-arrest-criminal-probe/</ref> While Telegram has been cracking down on illicit activity, telegram is still a haven of data leaks and illegal activity.

But so long as general media keep covering alleged drug busts and other criminal activities on the darkweb, the fallacious legend will live on. 

{{cquote|And besides, the normal Internet already hosts loads of child porn, and is where human trafficking definitely takes place. [...] As long as people are obsessed with finding the next terrible thing on the dark web, these scam and troll sites are going to continue—feeding the exaggerated myth of what ultimately boils down to just a small collection of websites.|||Joseph Cox<ref name="motherboard"/>}}

Creators such as SomeOrdinaryGamers, have a vested (monetary) interest in seeking out the most sensational sites on the Tor network to garner the most eyeballs. It's no wonder the "Some Ordinary Gamers - Deep Web Browsing" playlist has over 100 videos!<ref>https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhKdIHK729KTEdKUPjjG_ZNUDqYYnFqio</ref> A hitman for hire website in comic sans? Sure, that's going in the video!

== Scope of the Tor Network ==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px;"
|+Web based {{wpl|Hidden Services}} in February 2016<ref name="Moore"/><ref name="Cox"/>
|-
!Category
!Percentage
|-
|Violence
|0.3%
|-
|Arms
|0.8%
|-
|Social
|1.2%
|-
|Hacking
|1.8%
|-
|Illegitimate pornography
|2.3%
|-
|Nexus
|2.3%
|-
|Extremism
|2.7%
|-
|Unknown
|3.0%
|-
|Other illicit
|3.8%
|-
|Finance
|6.3%
|-
|Drugs
|8.1%
|-
|Other
|19.6%
|-
|None
|'''47.7%'''
|}

An accurate portrayal of Hidden Service content distribution can be found on Wikipedia for February 2016.<ref>{{wpa| Tor (anonymity network)#Usage |Tor (anonymity network) — Usage}}</ref><ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Hidden_Services_2016 Wikipedia: Hidden Services 2016]</ref> The table can be observed on the right.

Note that the category "None" contains nearly half of Hidden Service content. This makes more sense if you just check out [http://dtt6tdtgroj63iud.onion Deep Web in a Nutshell] covered below. Also note that the table does not specify whether or not the illegal services are actually legitimate.
 
Not to mention, the multiple HiddenWiki clones exist to filter out the garbage and present interesting content. In other words, it's not the same thing as a web crawler which scavenges Onionland.<ref group="note">Because apparently the DarkWeb only exists on Tor?</ref>  

=== Deep web in a nutshell ===
{{cquote|Why visit lots of dodgy onion sites on the "dark" web, when you can enjoy being bored out of your wits here on this site in perfect safety? Authentic feelings of disappointment guaranteed, or your money back!|||Deep web in a nutshell}}

[[File:Realdw.png|300px|thumb|left]]

Released in May 2015,<ref>
[https://twitter.com/deepdotweb/status/596572648798228480 Your new #Tor Browser homepage — THE #Deepweb in a nutshell: http://dtt6tdtgroj63iud.onion  #Darkweb #darknet]
</ref>
'the Deep Web in a nutshell' presents a far more accurate depiction of services that can actually be found.

* The abandoned forum — The best board is "I have made a nice forum, but nobody is here".
* This site is hosted — Expect to see a lot of sites with only this text!
* The weird website with an obnoxious picture

{{clear}}

=== Size ===
As of September 14th, 2016, [http://skunksworkedp2cg.onion/ harry71's onion crawler] has archived a whopping total of over 6,000 onion websites. That's a pretty small number compared to [http://www.worldwidewebsize.com/ worldwidewebsize.com]'s estimate of "at least 4.7 billion pages" as of September 14th, 2016.<ref name="worldwidewebsize"/> But in reality, if such a dark web were to exist, it would contain a rather small community to begin with considering its supposed barriers. Therefore, the darknet would be very small in size of pages to coincide with the size of the audience; definitely not [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/File:Deep_web_lies.jpg over 60% of the Internet according to an image below] (the method by which this figure was developed is a trade secret).

== Deep web "levels" ==
[[File:Deep web lies.jpg|thumb|100px|[[Truthiness]] in action. (Click for an enlarged version)]]

While the iceberg meme format is popular on social media in 2025, its origins actually come from deep web commentary circa 2011.<ref>https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/iceberg-charts</ref> An infamous infographic was created in 2011 or early 2012. At the time [[Tor]] and the [[wp:Silk Road (marketplace)|Silk Road]] first gained popularity and crucially at the same time the deep web search term started to be conflated with the dark web. It helped feed the sensationalism and further imprint into the public’s minds what exactly the darknet was.<ref name="old-silver.us"/>

The concept of such 'levels' of the deep web was produced by an [[Don't feed the Troll|enterprising individual]], sharing similarities with {{wpl|Inferno (Dante)|Dante's Inferno}} in its structure. In this (mis)infographic, the further down, the more insane and preposterous the content becomes. A [https://web.archive.org/web/20160424100407/http://anonymous.livelyblog.com/2012/04/05/b-guides-for-tor/ January 2012 attempt] at a corresponding corrected infographic [http://archive.ph/X9rVB/64e2a7b4a03e4ebb170ec155e9be34d44f3d72d0.jpg was also created], but never gained comparable popularity due to reliance of text and [[Reality|facts]].

The infographic also perpetuates the fallacy that non-clearnet content somehow makes up most of the Internet.

{{sbs|title=1|Original (mis)infographic|Analysis}}
----
=== Level 0 Web — Common web ===
{{sbs
|<big>'''EVERYTHING'''</big>
|The "common web" is a made up name for what is actually the {{wpl|Surface web|surface web}} in search engine parlance. Typically the term {{wpl|Clearnet (networking)|clearnet}} is preferred when referring to non-darknet websites. However the deep web/surface web paradigm is simply more popular, despite these being search indexing terms.
}}
----

=== Level 1 Web — Surface web ===
{{sbs
|
* [[Reddit]]
* Dig
* Temple Email Services
* Newgrounds
* Vampire Freaks
* Foreign Social Networks
* Human Intel Tasks
* Web Hosting
* MYSQL{{sic}} Databases
* College Campuses
|For some reason, the infographic portrays the surface web... below the surface. Social networks like [[Reddit]], {{wpl|Vampirefreaks.com|Vampire Freaks}} and {{wpl|Amazon Mechanical Turk|Human Intel Tasks}} are also listed here — websites which have very little in common either technically or content wise. MySQL databases and college campuses are at least intranet based services with relationships to search indexing technologies.
}}
----

=== Level 2 Web — Bergie web ===
{{sbs
|
* FTP Servers
* [[Google]] Locked Results
* Honeypots
* Loaded Web Servers
* Jailbait Porn
* Most of the Internet
* [[4chan]]
* RSC
* Freehive
* Let Me Watch This
* Streams Videos
* Bunny Tube
|So that damned iceberg is still in the graphic, so I guess we'll name this level after it. For some reason FTP servers are placed ''below'' MySQL databases. Of course, the more edgy content like [[4chan]] and Jailbait is listed. Made up terms like '[[Google]] Locked Results' (presumably [[DMCA|officially censored]] results that come with Lumen links), and pirate streaming service 'Let me Watch This' are placed next to {{wpl|Honeypot (computing)|honeypots|.}} But surely if a honeypot was on a deeper level than normal, it would fail at being a honeypot? Try not to overthink this...}}

----
<center><big>Proxy required after this point...</big></center>
----
The dark web proper begins below.

=== Level 3 Web — Deep web ===
{{sbs
|
* "On the Vanilla" Sources
* Heavy Jailbait
* Light CP
* Gore
* [[Sex]] Tapes
* Celebrity Scandals
* VIP Gossip
* Hackers
* Script Kiddies
* Virus Information
* FOIE Archives
* [[Suicide]]s
* Raid Information
* Computer Security
* XSS Worm Scripting
* FTP Servers (Specific)
* Mathematics Research
* Supercomputing
* Visual Processing
* Virtual Reality (Specific)
|
Wait, the deep web inside the deep web? Try not to think too hard...

Apparently one can find celebrity scandals here; to be fair, this did pre-date {{wpl|iCloud celebrity-photo leaks|The Fappening}}. Vague hacker jargon starts to be introduced such as "XSS worm scripting", "computer security", "visual processing" and apparently "''specific'' virtual reality". And to think all this time you've settled for general virtual reality. Special points go to "''Mathematics Research''".
}}

----
<center><big>Tor required after this point...</big></center>

{{sbs
|
* Eliza Data Information
* Hacking Groups FTP
* Node Transfers
* Data Analysis
* Post Date Generation
* Microsoft Data Secure Networks
* Assembly Programmer's Guild
* Shell Networking
* AI Theorists
* Cosmologists/MIT

|Say "hello" to more hacker jargon such as ''data analysis'', ''AI theorists'', ''shell networking'' and the "{{wpl|Assembly language|Assembly}} Programmer's Guild". Such sites are abundant on the clearnet,<ref>[https://datascience.stackexchange.com/ Data Science Stack Exchange]</ref><ref>[https://pandas.pydata.org/ pandas - Python Data Analysis Library]</ref><ref>[https://ai.stackexchange.com/ Artificial Intelligence Stack Exchange]</ref><ref>[http://board.flatassembler.net/ flat assembler message board]</ref><ref>[https://www.chibiakumas.com/z80/ Learn Multiplatform Z80 Assembly Programming... With Vampires!]</ref> so why is this on the dark net? What's so bad about machine code? Stop thinking too hard.

As for AI information, to date, there are [http://opnju4nyz7wbypme.onion/ two] [http://opnjuydlb4zzwrd4.onion/ mirror] websites that host an AI titled VIKI. The websites claim that the bot has "been online since 01JAN70" in one form or another. Most likely, these websites were created because of this (mis)infographic. <ref group=note>VIKI is the name of the AI in the 2004 film adaptation of [[Isaac Asimov|Isaac Asimov's]] <i>I, Robot</i>. This may be where the creator of the image got the name, and subsequently where the other websites got the idea. </ref>
}}

----

=== Level 4 Web — Charter web ===
{{sbs
|
* Hardcandy
* Onion IB
* Hidden Wiki
* Candycane
* Banned Videos
* Banned Movies
* Banned Books
* Questionable Visual Materials
* Personal Records
* "Line of Blood" Locations
* Assassination Box
* Headhunters
* Illegal Game Hunters
* Rare Animal Trade
* Hard [[Drug]]s Trade
* Human Trafficking
* Corporate Exchange
* Multi-Billion Dollar Deals
* Most of the Black Market
|Let's list random sick shit: child pornography, {{wpl|The Hidden Wiki}} (wtf?), [[Internet assassination|Assassination Box]], human trafficking, and god forbid [[Censorship|banned books]] are here. The hard drugs trade can be found here and clearly not on well documented {{wpl|Darknet market|darknet markets|.}}

To be fair, one can find various anarchist writings but no more so than on the clearnet. In addition, "personal records" a.k.a. doxes can be found on websites such as {{wpl|Doxbin|Doxbin|.}}

}}

----
<center><big>Closed Shell System required after this point...</big></center>
{{sbs
|
* [[Nikola Tesla|Tesla]] Experiment Plans
* Scat CP
* Hardcore Rape CP
* [[Snuff film|Snuff]] CP
* Group CP
* [[World War II|WW2]]{{sic}} Experiment Successes
* [[Josef Mengele]] Successes
* Location of [[Atlantis]]
* Crystaline Power Metrics
* [[Gadolinium Gallium Garnet]] Quantum Electronic Processors (GGGQEP)
* Border's Engine Plans
* Paradigm Recalescence
* Forward Derivatal Supercomputation
* [[AI Box experiment|AI in a Box]]
* [[CAIMEO]] (AI Superintelligence)
* The Law of 13's
* Geometric Algorthymic{{sic}} Shortcuts
* [[Internet assassination|Assasination{{sic}} Networks]]
* [[Nephilim|Nephilism]]{{sic}} Protocols
|Possibly a reference to the cyberbrains of [http://ghostintheshell.wikia.com/wiki/Cyberbrain Ghost in the Shell].

More illegal porn (hey, what happened to the {{wpl|Crush fetish|animal crush fetish porn|?}} This is discrimination!), [[artificial intelligence]], and information about {{wpl|Josef Mengele|"secret"}} [[Nazi]] discoveries that totally aren't publicly available now.

As for [[red room]]s and [[snuff film]]s, currently no evidence supports the existence of ''real'' red rooms on the dark net or the existence of (human) snuff films. In addition, it can be concluded that {{wpl|Peter Scully|Peter Scully's}} red room never existed either. He was charged with "pay-per-view video streams"; however, the reports of him live-streaming are ''[[bullshit|allegations]]'', according to ''Mamamia''.<ref name="Peter Scully1"/><ref>{{wpa|Peter Scully}}</ref> This doesn't stop websites from blindly stating otherwise.<ref name="Peter Scully2"/><ref name="Peter Scully3"/> Someone could always ask the man himself about it; however, even 60 Minutes had trouble getting Scully to speak about his crimes.<ref>60 minutes: Peter Scully Episode and Interview</ref>
}}
----
<center><big>80% of the Internet exists below this line...</big></center>

{{sbs
|This is rather not 80% of the physical information, but 80% of the information that effects{{sic}} you directly
|The (mis)infographic makes another reference to deep web search technologies while also making a bullshit statement on how the information affects someone.
}}
----
<center><big>Polymeric falcighol derivation exists below this line...</big></center>
{{sbs
|Shit… I don't really know [[homophobia|faggot]]. All I know is that you need to solve [[quantum mechanics]] in order to view this on even the normal web, let alone closed servers. Quantum Computation exists, and the government powers have them. So be careful what you do here.
|The (mis)infographic [[PIDOOMA|just makes up]] the term polymeric falcighol derivation. It wouldn't be a proper sensationalist graphic without a little homophobia and conspiracy-theory mongering, would it?

An intrepid "[[troll|researcher]]" at urban dictionary defined polymeric falcighol derivation as such:<ref>[https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=polymeric%20falcighol%20derivation polymeric falcighol derivation]</ref>
{{cquote|A complex algorithm that is often associated with the [[Marianas Web|Mariana Web]] (Level 5 Web); needed to access said web. The Marianas Web is the deepest part of the internet and is only rumored to exist. (It has been said that 80% of the Internet exists here.) It has been called the "Vatican Secret Archives" of the web, containing archives of Historical documents, Government secrets, plans, records, ETC... However the computing power/knowledge needed to process and compute the algorithm is quantum computing, which is still in its early stages and takes use of the quantum-mechanical phenomena. Many often write it off as a hoax[;] however there is no evidence proving or disproving its existence. An anomaly was discovered by super deep web scans in the early 2000's.
<br>
''The Polymeric Falcighol Derivation is a quantum algorithm used for quantum computing.''}}

}}
----

=== Level 5 Web — Marianas web ===
{{sbs
|The day you get here is,{{sic}} when OP is no longer a faggot.
|[[File:Shadow web scam.png|right|thumb|People are now even trying to ''sell access'' to the Marianas Web.]]
A reference to the {{wpl|Mariana Trench||,}} now an urban legend in its own right.<ref name="engadget"/> And of course [[Takedownman]] has reported on it...<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEojOrVzBrk The Hidden Internet- Marianas web]</ref>
}}

But wait, there's more! Some time [http://images.wikia.com/deepweb/images/b/be/Levels.png around December 2014] an update to the infographic [http://i.imgur.com/fcapk.jpg was created].
----

=== Level 6 web — (?) ===
{{sbs
|Intermediary between the Marianas Web and Levels 7 and Level 8
|Level 6: a level that exists for the sole purpose of being one. 
}}
----

===  Level 7 web — The Fog/Virus Soup ===
{{sbs
|The best way to describe level 7 would but{{sic}} a war zone. Where it is every man for themselves, where everyone who "made" it here is trying to get to the 8th level preventing other people from getting there.
|ಠ_ಠ
}}
----
=== Level 8 web — The Primarch System ===
{{sbs
|Level 8 is impossible to access directly. The primarch system is what controls the Internet. No government or organization has control of it. Nobody even knows what it is. The system is an anomaly discovered in the 2000's. It is unresponsive, but sends out unalterable commands to the entire net, randomly. The entire 7th Level is people trying to gain access to Level 8 and stopping others from getting there. Level 8 is thought to be separated by "level 17 quantum t.r.001 level function lock" which is virtually impossible for our computers to break.

Also known as "The Final Boss of The Internet"
|[[File:What_the_fuck_are_you_talking_about.gif|left|thumb|400px|No, seriously…]]
&nbsp;<!--This stops the formatting from breaking. Do not remove.-->
}}

==Article analysis==
===PC World {{---}} Meet Darknet, the hidden, anonymous underbelly of the searchable Web<ref name=pcworld/>===
This article does a better job compared to most websites by showing the positives and negatives of onionland. In addition, it recommend the reader to take security precautions. However, it focuses too much on illegal activity and makes several errors:

{{sbs|
[Y]ou’ll find a society that lurks intentionally in the blind spots of search engines.

[...]

Have an example: [http://idnxcnkne4qt76tg.onion/  http://idnxcnkne4qt76tg.onion/] For those using Tor, that link will lead to the Tor Project website. For everyone else: a dead end.

There’s no chance that you—or Google—will stumble across that site by accident, or any of the secretive Darknets that have sprung up around technologies such as I2P or Freenet (which Alex Wawro touched upon in the August issue of PCWorld magazine). 
|Not true. Due to the existence of ".casa" and ".to", onionland websites show up on [[Google]] search results. In addition, Google does not filter archives that store onionland links.
}}

{{sbs|
They cloak themselves in obscurity with specialized software that guarantees encryption and anonymity between users, as well as protocols or domains that the average webizen will never stumble across. 
|News flash: Tor is not necessarily anonymous because attacks can be made against it. According to the Tails website, a global adversary studying "the timing and volume patterns of the different communications across the network, it would be statistically possible to identify Tor circuits and thus match Tor users and destination servers."
}}

{{sbs|
Speaking of which, be very, very careful when slinging your digital dollars around. The anonymity of Bitcoins and the Darknet makes Onionland a haven for scammers. 
|
{{wpl|Darknet markets}} such as pioneered by the Silk Road and successors are such a significant part of the [[Bitcoin]] and dark web economy that crypto currencies often play a part in mythos. Nonetheless, the nature of the feedback<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20171017140951/https://www.deepdotweb.com/marketplace-directory/listing/alphabay/</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20140807002518/http://www.deepdotweb.com/marketplace-directory/listing/dream-market</ref> and escrow systems operated by the marketplaces and extended ecosystems means that onionland markets are — at a large extent {{---}} community regulated. Because of this, the onionland markets are focused on reputation, something that must be maintained delicately over an extended period of time. This results in a good willed community — upset druggies without their drugs are very vocal after all {{---}} though there's always that ''one'' asshole out there that will send you sand instead of cookies.<ref>[http://archive.ph/vKm12 (SCAM ALERT) HumboltFarms sent me a bag of SAND instead of cookies!!!!] Archived from the original on [[Reddit]], 2015.</ref> 

Even with regulation, onionland's markets are '''not''' a hundred percent safe, although scam sites have distinct red flags that are relatively easy to spot: lack any sort of reviews; have duplicate listings across different sites; and have the same UI.<ref name="paypal">https://web.archive.org/web/20170710073901/https://www.deepdotweb.com/2016/08/03/paypal-accounts-carding-popular-fraud-services-deepweb/</ref>

Markets such as BlackBank<ref name="blackbank">{{cite news|last1=DeepDotWeb|title=BlackBank Under Maintenance|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520001616/http://www.deepdotweb.com/2015/05/18/blackbank-under-maintenance/|accessdate=31 May 2015|date=18 May 2015}}</ref> and {{wpl|Evolution_(marketplace)|Evolution}}<ref name="evo">{{cite news|last1=Greenberg|first1=Andy|title=The Dark Web's Top Drug Market, Evolution, Just Vanished|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318230514/http://www.wired.com/2015/03/evolution-disappeared-bitcoin-scam-dark-web/|accessdate=4 July 2015|date=18 March 2015}}</ref> have performed exit scams in the past, however, these are standout examples.
}}

== Conclusion ==
The mythos behind the deep web draws parallels to the [[Atlantis]] myth. In both cases, the subjects' portrayal takes advantage of human curiosity and wonderment. Even if there is little to no actual evidence that points to a certain conclusion, evidence to support people's opinions is conjured through unrelated "evidence" or entirely falsified to sell stories. As for the latter, people look at stories from news authorities and [[Argument from authority|assume the content and themes presented in said stories must be true]].

Stories about the {{wpl|Silk Road (marketplace)|Silk Road}} introduced the connotation that the Tor Network and other anonymous networks like {{wpl|I2P}} are mainly for illegal purposes. Now that this connotation has been initiated, people believe it and start their own Hidden Services and [[Youtube]] videos to prolong it.<ref name="motherboard"/> Hidden Services have the security advantage of having end-to-end encryption for web browsing<ref>https://tor.stackexchange.com/questions/12233/adding-clinet-ssl-to-hidden-service/12234</ref> and Tor Browser has great security features; it's disappointing that the {{wpl|Tor Project}} name is tarnished by stories related to the Silk Road and urban legends.

==External links==
* TheHackerNews: [https://thehackernews.com/2012/05/what-is-deep-web-first-trip-into-abyss.html What is the Deep Web? A first trip into the abyss]
* Motherboard: [https://web.archive.org/web/20150901190303/http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-real-dark-web-doesnt-exist The 'Real' Dark Web Doesn't Exist]
* Engadget: [https://www.engadget.com/2015/12/18/the-myth-of-marianas-web-the-darkest-corner-of-the-internet/ The myth of Marianas Web, the darkest corner of the internet (misspelled as "Mariana's Web")]
<!--* [https://darkwebtalk.com/ Official dark web forum]-->

== See also ==
*[[Tor]]
{{Fun|Derp web adventure‎}}

* [[Pizzagate]] {{---}} Want to see some more infographic nonsense? The [[alt-right]] has you covered.

{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2|90%|refs=

<ref name="dictionary bog">[https://web.archive.org/web/20150507183009/http://blog.dictionary.com/dark-web/ The Deep Web vs. The Dark Web | Dictionary.com Blog]</ref>

<ref name="worldwidewebsize">[http://www.worldwidewebsize.com/ The size of the World Wide Web (The Internet)]</ref>
<ref name="motherboard">https://web.archive.org/web/20150901190303/http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-real-dark-web-doesnt-exist</ref>

<ref name="old-silver.us">[http://gold-silver.us/forum/archive/index.php/t-58359.html How far into the Deep Web have you travelled?]</ref>

<ref name="Peter Scully1">[http://www.mamamia.com.au/peter-scully-60-minutes/ It's the Peter Scully 60 Minutes interview that you need to see.]</ref>

<ref name="Peter Scully2">[http://www.sickchirpse.com/peter-scully-red-room-disturbing/ Peter Scully's red room Is The Most Disturbing Story You'll Ever Read — Sick Chirpse]</ref>

<ref name="Peter Scully3">[http://www.theage.com.au/national/alleged-paedophile-peter-gerard-scully-fled-a-sordid-past-in-melbourne-20150306-13x5m8.html Alleged paedophile Peter Gerard Scully fled a sordid past in Melbourne]</ref>

<ref name="engadget">[https://www.engadget.com/2015/12/18/the-myth-of-marianas-web-the-darkest-corner-of-the-internet/ The myth of Mariana's Web, the darkest corner of the internet]</ref>

<ref name="Moore">
{{cite journal
|last1=Moore
|first1=Daniel
|title=Cryptopolitik and the Darknet
|journal=Survival: Global Politics and Strategy
|url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00396338.2016.1142085
|accessdate=20 March 2016
}}</ref>

<ref name=pcworld>https://www.pcworld.com/article/2046227/meet-darknet-the-hidden-anonymous-underbelly-of-the-searchable-web.html</ref>

<ref name="Cox">
{{cite news
|last1=Cox
|first1=Joseph
|title=Study Claims Dark Web Sites Are Most Commonly Used for Crime
|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202092659/http://motherboard.vice.com/read/study-claims-dark-web-sites-are-most-commonly-used-for-crime
|accessdate=20 March 2016
|date=1 February 2016
}}</ref>
}}

[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Deep web| ]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theories]]
[[Category:Horror]]

Categories: Internet, Language, Deep web, Conspiracy theories, Horror