The dark web is the World Wide Web content that exists on darknets (overlay networks) that use the Internet but require specific software, configurations, or authorization to access. Through the dark web, private computer networks can communicate and conduct business anonymously without divulging identifying information, such as a user's location. The dark web forms a small part of the deep web, the part of the web not indexed by web search engines, although sometimes the term deep web is mistakenly used to refer specifically to the dark web.
1. "Accessing the dark web is illegal." - Accessing and viewing content on the dark web is legal in the United States, the EU, and most countries around the world.
2. "There is no regulation on the dark web." - The dark web regulates itself, and dark marketplaces are treated like a business. To sell on top platforms, vendors must not only have a license, but provide information on the product type, the origin of production, the exact quantity available, the price, and even an image of the product.
3. "You can't be tracked." - Web tracking is still possible on the dark web. Though the dark web uses encryption to frustrate tracking efforts, the anonymity is leveraged by authorities to conduct online surveillance, set up honeypots, and operate anonymous dark web-info tip lines.
4. "Only criminals use the dark web." - There are many legal dark web uses, and much of the content on the dark web is legal. Many people use the dark web to avoid government surveillance.
5. "You can hire hitmen on the dark web." - While some scammers may claim to offer hitman services, it's highly likely a scam. Real-world criminal organizations don't typically rely on random Internet strangers for such sensitive tasks. Most of these ads are designed to steal money from those who are naive enough to believe them.