The dark web.

If you've been on the internet for a while, you must have encountered that term.

A lot of people use the terms "dark web" and "deep web" in tandem with illegal and unsafe activities on the internet. However, the reality is these places are very different and have a warped public perception. While they do host criminal activities, chances are you won't stumble onto anything unless you go in very far.

Let's take a closer look at these places, and differentiate what they are.

The Surface Web and Indexing

Internet vs World Wide Web Featured
Image Credit: adike/Shutterstock

Before we understand what the dark web is, let's take a look back at our trusty World Wide Web. We use the World Wide Web to access all sorts of websites, from social media to news feeds.

The web lets us use search engines such as Google to access thousands of websites. However, the websites you can access only make up a miniscule percentage of the entire web—better known as the surface web.

So, why can we only access such a small amount of the web? It's due to a process known as indexing. Indexing is how search engines such as Google analyze and store data on websites, allowing them to appear when you search for them.

Search engines crawl the internet through links, visiting one web page, the links on that page and so on, keeping track of all the information. What cannot be accessed by search engines is referred to as part of the deep web.

What Is the Deep Web?

drawing of deep web

The deep web is a subset of the web containing websites that cannot be located by search engines. Anything that does not show up on Google can be found on the deep web.

Accessing content on the deep web is easy to do so. Any time you log in to a website, the information you access is stored on the deep web. This can be your email, banking information, or your social media account.

The government and private companies utilize the deep web to store private information. This includes medical, legal records, private bank data, and so on. Any website that does not have a link to it can be considered to be a part of the deep web and it accounts for 90 percent of the web.

While the deep web can be considered safe as a whole, the further you venture, you can find yourself in danger. Areas of the deep web allow you to bypass local restrictions and access media that may not be available in your region. A very large part of the deep web is used in piracy and, towards the end, you can find yourself in the most dangerous area known as the dark web.

What Is the Dark Web?

Photo of a cobweb

If the surface web is the top of the iceberg, the dark web is the bottom section: submerged, and not visible to passerbys. The dark web is a small part of the deep web and can only be accessed via specialized web browsers.

The dark web is home to all sorts of illicit activities and is considered unsafe. As mentioned earlier, regular browsers cannot access dark web websites. The dark web uses "The Onion Router" hidden service protocol to function. Tor servers are used for surfing; they are undetectable from search engines and offer users complete anonymity.

Related: Is the Dark Web Illegal?

When you access the dark web, everything stays internal on the Tor network, which provides security and privacy for everyone equally. This is both good and bad, and is why criminal activty is so widespread on it. Many worldwide concerns have arisen from it, one of the most notable being the infamous Silk Road—which is a marketplace for obtaining all sorts of goods.

Despite the dangers, the dark web is a very concealed portion of the deep web that very few access and interact with. It is impossible to find yourself involved in it unless you are completely determined to do so.

Safety Measures and Precautions to Take

data privacy illustration

The dark web can be extremely dangerous. But at the same time, it's also very inaccessible by normal means. The same, however, cannot be said about the deep web.

The chances of you stumbling onto an illegal page by mistake on the deep web are much higher than on a dark web. This can be through many means by clicking a random link, receiving a phishing email, and much more.

Accessing content on the deep web is relatively safe, but that doesn’t mean that accessing that personal information has no risks. Your data can still be stolen and hacked. Below are some precautions you can take to protect yourself:

  • Always use a VPN on a private network to protect your privacy.
  • Utilize strong passwords to protect your accounts, and never use the same one in more than one place.
  • Do not give out personal information online.
  • Do not access links through your email.

Related: Ways to Protect Against Doxxing

While Tor protects you and gives you anonymity on the dark web, we recommend that you don't use the dark web. If you still wish to access it, don't use your regular email and ensure your Tor applications are updated. Avoid downloading files as they are often filled with viruses and malware. Acessing does the dark web does not automatically place you in danger, but it is very easy to be caught unaware if you are not familiar with how it works.

Dark Web vs. Deep Web: Your Privacy Your Responsibility

The deep web and the dark web both offer privacy and anonymity. The deep web helps protect your private information, but is not in your hands.

Whatever data you access, the organization holding onto that data has it as well. In comparison, the dark web operates on the principle of total anonymity and leaves everything in your hands.

Tools are not inherently evil and it is up to us how we use them. Our online privacy is in our control more than we think. It is important to practice internet safety and security—and that rings true even if you use the Surface Web.