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The dark side of internet

IAE4 (Intensive Academic English 4), Robertson College

Jorge Alberto Forero Molano

Jeannine Brandt

February 1, 2023
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The dark side of internet

Since the Internet creation in 1983 (McLean, 2022), it has had another side besides the

usual one known as a Dark Web. Let’s see the Internet as an iceberg: surface web have been

surfed by the most people each day, this is just the iceberg’s tip. Underneath the surface is the

Deep Web, which holds around 90% of all websites like Databases, intranets; this is the

iceberg’s part beneath the surface. At the bottom of this imaginary iceberg it is located the Dark

Web, just a tiny part of the Deep Web is assigned to it. The Dark Web makes refers to the non-

index sites that are only reachable through a specialized web browser. The Dark Web has meant

anonymity for all its users, either to share information anonymously or to read forbidden books,

among others. Only 15 minutes are required to get there, but the right tools must be selected to

thrive in Dark Web. These tools include: a Virtual Private Network (VPN), The Onion Router

(TOR) as a browser, and trust in your instinct. By the end of this simple steps, you will have the

basics knowledge to explore this amazing side of the Internet.

As a first step, it is necessary to hire a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service to safely

access the Dark Web. According to K Godawatte et al. (2019), it is important to use a Virtual

Private Network (VPN) to ensure that all data traffic is encrypted and that the user’s IP address is

hidden. To hire VPN, it is enough to go to either the NordVPN or ExpressVPN website,

download, and install any of their software. They will provide further instruction on

configuration. Additionally, it is highly recommended to use an anonymous email services, such

as ProtonMail, for communication and to avoid using any personal information on the Dark

Web.

To continue, you need the right browser. One of the oldest in this field is The Onion

Router (TOR), which is designed to conceal the user’s identity when browsing the Dark Web. To
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use TOR, it is enough to go to the official TOR website; download and install it. Once installed,

open it, as a personal recommendation, set the language to one different from yours. Also, it is

recommended not to use the browser maximized, as an extra protection.

As a final step, use your instincts to safeguard your identity and data. Think about

whether you will have an answer to the question, “Should I have downloaded, opened, or entered

this website?” in the near future. If the answer is yes, everything should be good. But if the

answer is no, you have made a mistake that must be corrected as soon as possible.

Surfing the dark web can be an intimidating and risky if you don't take the necessary

precautions. The dark web should only be used if you have a specific purpose and understand the

risks associated with being on the network. Research the necessary tools before attempting to

access the dark web, securely encrypting your web traffic, running a VPN, use the TOR browser,

and searching only trusted dark online. Now that you have the knowledge to surf darker waters,

it is important to always use it responsibly and ethically by following online security best

practices and avoiding any illegal activities.

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References

Godawatte, K., Raza, M., Murtaza, M., & Saeed, A. (2019). Dark Web Along With The Dark

Web Marketing And Surveillance. 2019 20th International Conference on Parallel and

Distributed Computing, Applications and Technologies (PDCAT).

https://doi.org/10.1109/pdcat46702.2019.00095

Kaspersky. (2022, October 21). What is the Deep and Dark Web? Www.kaspersky.com.

https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/deep-web

McLean, C. (2022, August 28). When Was the Internet invented? What to Know about the

Creators of It and more. USA TODAY.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2022/08/28/when-was-internet-created-who-

invented-it/10268999002/