The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines and requires specific software, such as the Tor browser, to access. It is often associated with illegal activities, but there are also some surprising and lesser-known facts about it. Here are some of the most surprising facts about the dark web:

Origins and Purpose

• Government Development: The Tor browser, which is essential for accessing the dark web, was originally developed by the U.S. Navy to protect U.S. intelligence communications online. "I believe it was created by the navy as a communication system and they realized if they were the only ones on the nodes then everyone would know it was their IPs so they made it public."

• Information Exchange: The dark web is used to facilitate the free exchange of information in oppressive countries, making it a tool for human rights and journalism. "There are corners of the dark web dedicated to free exchange of important information."

Surprising Content

• Honest Business Practices: Surprisingly, some markets on the dark web have better customer service than many legitimate businesses. "Silk road merchants actually had wildly better customer service than most legit businesses."

• Recipes and Blogs: Beyond the illicit activities, you can find mundane content like recipes and blogs. "Sometimes it's really questionable, and sometimes you find a guy who for some reason just really wanted a dark web website for all his recipes."

Risks and Dangers

• Hacking and Spying: The dark web is more susceptible to hacking and spying if proper precautions are not taken. "You could get hacked at any time, and if you're the average user, you're easily being spied."

• Illegal Activities: The dark web is infamous for markets selling drugs, weapons, and fake IDs. "From what I've seen it's mostly websites that sell stuff like drugs and stuff like fake IDs."

Misconceptions

• Exaggerated Dangers: Many of the rumors about the dark web, such as the existence of red rooms, are highly exaggerated. "The dark net has been very over exaggerated by urban legends and things like that over the years."

• Not Always Scary: Some users find the dark web to be quite boring and not as scary as depicted. "The dark web was literally the most boring thing I've ever seen."

Exploring Safely

• Use Tor Browser: Accessing the dark web requires the Tor browser, which encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address. "Use the Tor browser go to the website dark.fail."

• Avoid Suspicious Links: It's crucial to avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from unknown sources to protect yourself from malware. "Yes. It's pretty damn safe if you don't download anything or look for fucked up shit."

For more discussions and information about the dark web, you might want to check out these subreddits:

• r/TOR

• r/AskReddit

• r/NoStupidQuestions