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 it also has legitimate uses. Here are some surprising facts about the dark web that most people may not know:

General Facts About the Dark Web

• Hidden Marketplaces: The dark web is home to various marketplaces where people can buy and sell illegal items such as drugs, weapons, and fake IDs. "From what I've seen it's mostly websites that sell stuff like drugs and stuff like fake IDs."

• Human Trafficking: There are parts of the dark web where people are sold as slaves or sex workers. "People for sale"

• Red Rooms: There are rumors about "red rooms" where people can watch live torture and murder, but these are generally considered to be myths. "Red Rooms…a theory that they existed…but some dark web explorers stated there never existed..🤷‍♂️"

Surprising Discoveries

• Personal Information: It is possible to find personal information, including videos and photos of individuals, on the dark web. "I searched my parent's names on the dark web. The videos I found were horrifying."

• Bizarre Content: Some users have reported seeing bizarre and disturbing content, such as videos of animal cruelty and human experimentation. "I've seen a video of a man performing brain surgery on a dog without anesthesia the dog was moving, this was to find out removing some parts of the brain did what and the dog was malnourished after the video he posted results few days after the dog was alive, but he refused to eat and he was scared of his owner, he was regularly abused in wired ways, in his site he injected hamsters with uranium 235 in injection to see what happens the, man is mentally ill or something."

Risks and Dangers

• Scams and Identity Theft: The dark web is rife with scams and identity theft attempts. "Scams and identity theft are a big business there"

• Malicious Software: Accessing the dark web can expose users to malicious software and viruses. "computer software that usually tends to be malicious to steal personal and financial data from people."

Misconceptions

• Exaggerated Dangers: Some people believe the dangers of the dark web are exaggerated. "The dark net has been very over exaggerated by urban legends and things like that over the years."

• Journalistic Misinformation: The term "dark web" is often misused by journalists, leading to misconceptions about its true nature. "'Dark Web' isn't a technical term, it's an expression used by journalists (and people who pay attention to journalists) for dodgy things they don't quite understand but know are bad."

Subreddits for Further Exploration

• r/TOR

• r/onions

• r/AskReddit

These subreddits can provide more insights and personal experiences related to the dark web.