# Do you surf the "Deep Web" ?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 11, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113 "2016-06-11T15:03:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/1 "2016-06-11T15:03:43Z")
I mean, get on The Onion Router and plunge into that hive of scum and villainy?
Seriously, has anyone had a bad encounter in there?
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### Author:  [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/2 "2016-06-11T15:18:14Z")
I’ve heard of it, but wouldn’t know how to begin to access it.
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/3 "2016-06-11T15:21:55Z")
Nah, everything I need is on the surface web.
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### Author:  [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/4 "2016-06-11T15:48:04Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#):
>
> plunge into that hive of scum and villainy?
You mean this is not it?
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### Author:  [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/5 "2016-06-11T19:12:58Z")
Who’s asking? :mad:
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/6 "2016-06-11T19:30:55Z")
Even if you knew how to get there, if it’s all so secret, how would you find anything? Is there a Deep Google?
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/7 "2016-06-11T19:53:37Z")
When I first heard about Silk Road I went to take a look to see if it were real or media sensationalism. I haven’t been back.
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### Author:  [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeke_N.Destroi)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/8 "2016-06-11T20:18:46Z")
I’ve been curious but a couple of things have stopped me:
1)I don’t know how to go about accessing it
2)I’m just computer savvy enough to know that I don’t know shit and I’m afraid I’d get the computer equivalent of syphilitic herpes if I went there. I have a respectful fear of my own stupidity.
Kind of like I’d like to make a pipe-bomb to set off in a field but I know my limitations and I’m too fond of my hands to try it.
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### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/9 "2016-06-11T20:55:42Z")
I know there are a bunch of sketchy sites some with huge collections of bootlegged music and movies, some with kiddy porn, some with illegal weapon making instructions and some with drug sales but that’s about all I can think of. Is there more to the dark web than just these illegal sites?
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
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### Author:  [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/10 "2016-06-11T23:10:27Z")
I used to go there, but it’s been several years. I stumbled across one site that purportedly (and probably did) sold fully automatic weapons. I have a feeling that they probably didn’t conduct background checks.
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#):
>
> I’ve heard of it, but wouldn’t know how to begin to access it.
You have to use a special browser. Here’s more information, if you’re interested.
> **[The Tor Project | Privacy & Freedom Online](https://www.torproject.org/)**
>
> Defend yourself against tracking and surveillance. Circumvent censorship.
> [@RickJay](#):
>
> Even if you knew how to get there, if it’s all so secret, how would you find anything? Is there a Deep Google?
There are sites that are basically lists of other sites. As far as I know, that’s about as good as it gets.
> [@astro](#):
>
> I know there are a bunch of sketchy sites some with huge collections of bootlegged music and movies, some with kiddy porn, some with illegal weapon making instructions and some with drug sales but that’s about all I can think of. Is there more to the dark web than just these illegal sites?
In some countries, a lot of people use the dark web for anonymously saying things that they would otherwise go to jail for. Some governments are not very free-speech friendly. And some people use it just on general privacy principles.
By the way, here’s some information on terminology. What people are referring to in this thread is the **dark** web, not the **deep** web.
> **[Deep Web vs. Dark Web: What's The Difference?](https://www.dictionary.com/e/dark-web/)**
>
> The dark web and deep web may be related but differ greatly. So what exactly are they, and why are technology reporters so wary when using either term?
Wikipedia has an interesting chart about the prevalence of uses.
> **[Dark web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_web)**
>
> 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 The darknets whic...
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/11 "2016-06-11T23:22:07Z")
> [@astro](#):
>
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
You’re already there.
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### Author:  [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/12 "2016-06-11T23:23:12Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#):
>
> I mean, get on The Onion Router and plunge into that hive of scum and villainy?
>
> Seriously, has anyone had a bad encounter in there?
You can’t access the Deep web or search the deep web using Google search, Bing search or Yahoo search.
You need special software on your computer to access and search the Deep web.
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### Author:  [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/13 "2016-06-11T23:40:12Z")
I’ve been there and looked around at the Silk Road, eight or so years ago. If you want more info about what’s there, there are [subreddits](https://www.reddit.com/r/deepweb) to answer all your questions.
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### Author:  [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/14 "2016-06-12T07:11:11Z")
As **Flyer** ’s first link makes clear, the “deep web” is simply any part of the internet that can not be accessed through yer regular search engines. That means that if you have an e-mail account, congratulations, you’re already a grizzled “deep web” veteran.
But clearly what y’all had in mind was the “dark web,” or “dark net.”
For info about its marketplaces, the subreddit you want is apparently [this one](https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkNetMarkets/) - or, if you’re a total noob and want to learn how to navigate them, [this one](https://www.reddit.com/r/DarkNetMarketsNoobs/).
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/15 "2016-06-12T13:54:13Z")
Tried it (onion) once just to do it. Was way, way, way too slow to be worth doing anything on. Slower than dialup.
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### Author:  [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/16 "2016-06-12T15:49:54Z")
It’s a lot easier than it used to be – just download the Tor browser. Search for the Hidden Wiki for a bunch of links to sample some of the content.
Tor is very slow and you will come across lots of dead links … some sites are not up all the time.
The anonymity provided by Tor is very valuable for some people in some parts of the world. The more people who use it, the better the cover provided to those who need it, so I occasionally use Tor just for general web browsing, just because.
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### Author:  [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/17 "2016-06-12T15:56:08Z")
I tried it once after reading a book – I think it’s called _Dark Net_ I heard the author interviewed on NPR and it piqued my interest.
My “Oh Hells, no” moment was an ad for a stolen BMW motorcycle that included advice on how to buy a forged title and plate. As someone who believes that many drugs should be legalized, the Silk Road trade didn’t bother me much. As someone whose car has been stolen twice, the bike ad bothered me muchly.
I haven’t been back.
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### Author:  [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/18 "2016-06-12T15:58:55Z")
Found it: **The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld** , Jamie Bartlett.
An interesting and well-written work.
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### Author:  [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/19 "2016-06-12T19:09:25Z")
My Day job is related, and I find myself occasionally using TOR as a part of that day job.
So, I’ve been there, but it’s frequently as a result of something someone else is doing to my employer. (I’m 2nd tier Security incident response, and occasionally it’ll lead to things like pastebin links that have questionable content…like hundreds of compromised accounts))
Arms deals, Drug deals? Nah, haven’t done that. But there’s plenty of other questionably ethical things I’ve run up against.
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### Author:  [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-surf-the-deep-web/757113/20 "2016-06-12T19:54:40Z")
I have been there. Mostly, I heard that it was being used in the Arab spring and I thought it might be interesting to see how first hand.
Of course, finding things on onion/tor/dark web is like going back 20 years. The closest thing to a search engine are link farms like the ancient origins of Yahoo. Half the links are broken, some permanently and others only temporarily. It looks like lots of the sites hosted there are done on basement servers that are not always on.
Tor’s website spouts lots of noble-sounding BS about how good it is for freedom lovers and reporters and people who just want privacy, but mostly it looks like a hangout for criminals. It is slow, archaic and not very useful for anything else.
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