What You Should and Shouldn’t Do While Browsing the Dark Web

The dark web is still not a common name, though some web users use it extensively. In fact, millions of web users still do not know what it is or how to get access to it. If you had thought you could access everything available on the web by using Google and other popular search engines, you are grossly mistaken. Is it actually possible to access the dark web safely?

What You Should and Shouldn’t Do While Browsing the Dark Web

What is the Dark Web?

Beneath the surface of what you see through known websites and search engine results, there lays a gigantic underbelly of content, commonly referred as the dark web. This is like what lies below the exposed surface of an ice berg which is a lot more ice!

The hidden part of the web contains materials and sites that are not deemed apt by government authorities or mainstream society. You need to know what you should and should not do while accessing the dark web.

What You Should Do to Access the Dark Web

It is necessary to adopt adequate safety measures to access the dark web and stay safe. In fact, you also need to stay anonymous online when accessing this hidden part of the web. This will help you stay away from the hidden pitfalls and risks of the dark web.

Download and use the Tor Browser

This is something you have to do to access the dark web, as it is. It is a Firefox-based web browser run by the Tor development team. It lets you get connected to the Tor network. The latter gives you access to the deep web and its subsection, the dark web. You may use a Windows, Linux, or Mac based setup for running Tor.

Use a suitable VPN service

Using Tor itself gives you a substantial amount of invisibility online, and most people will not be able to trace your activities while exploring this digital atmosphere. However, if you want to add online privacy when accessing the dark web, it is prudent you use a VPN. Using a VPN with Tor makes your online activity near untraceable for anyone. You can use Tor through VPN or use a VPN and then connect to the Tor network. Both approaches have their advantages and limitations.

Just keep in mind―this will slow down your net speed to an extent. It is fine because you are past network surveillance and any kind of online tracking. Just make sure your VPN service does not keep user data log.

Use Directories in deep web carefully

The deep web has its own directories that can be used to find information that you seek. You will mostly use Dark Web URLs with .onion extension. A lot of people using the dark web rely on the directory called the Hidden Wiki. Its URL is http://zqktlwi4fecvo6ri.onion. It does look somewhat odd, but then you will have to cope with many such URLs in the dark web.

The Hidden Wiki can be pretty exhaustive with links to hidden resources and sites, and careful browsing and access are your responsibility.

What You Should not Do while Accessing the Dark Web

The dark web is not illegal or bad by itself. Just like other aspects of technology, it can be used both for beneficial purposes and potentially harmful activities. A bizarre notion is that sometimes you can end up in a legal mess while accessing content in the dark web, unwittingly. Now you have to deal with that and that will consume time of yours.

There are groups that operate websites dealing with forbidden narcotic paraphenilai and other concepts and pornography, for example. By exploring those sites regularly and clicking on links that take you to people dealing with the trade, you can end up committing an illegal act and meeting some unsavory people. This could put you in a mess if your IP can be traced by any means.

So, you need to be careful when you are in the dark web to begin with. It is true that out of curiosity you may end up visiting some websites with weird content and strange pictures and this does not mean you are dreaming of Betelgeuse’s home!

There are websites dealing with child pornography, bestiality, hitman services, and illegal drug trafficking and even human trafficking. Just visiting some of the websites may not be that risky; But if you spot something strange, get out of there! Do not interact with people on these sites as well.

The Dark Web – Key Aspects to Remember

However unpredictable and weird the dark web is, staying safe while accessing it is not very difficult. Combining VPN with Tor and evading sites dealing in illegal activity will keep you safe, mostly. There are not guarantees though but there are things you can do to protect yourself.