What Is the Dark Web?

The internet has three layers:

[*]Surface Web — Indexed by Google. Normal websites. (~4% of the internet)
[*]Deep Web — Not indexed. Your email inbox, bank accounts, databases. (~90%)
[*]Dark Web — Requires special software to access. Encrypted, anonymous. (~6%)

The dark web runs on overlay networks, primarily Tor (The Onion Router). It's used by journalists in oppressive countries, whistleblowers, privacy researchers, and yes — also by people doing illegal things. Browsing the dark web itself is legal in most countries.

Step 1: Set Up for Safety (BEFORE You Connect)

Essential Security Layers:

[*]VPN First — Connect to a VPN before opening Tor. This hides Tor usage from your ISP.
[*]Recommended VPNs: Mullvad (privacy-focused), ProtonVPN (free tier available)
[*]Virtual Machine (Optional but recommended) — Run Tor inside a VM (VirtualBox + Linux) to isolate it from your main OS
[*]Tails OS (Maximum security) — Boot from USB, leaves no trace on your computer

Step 2: Download Tor Browser

[*]Download ONLY from the official site: torproject.org
[*]Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
[*]Never download Tor from third-party sites — malware risk
[*]Install and launch — it auto-connects to the Tor network

Step 3: Understanding .onion Sites

Dark web sites use .onion addresses — long strings of characters like:

http://3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion

You can't find these on Google. Use these legitimate directories:

[*]The Hidden Wiki — Directory of .onion links (be careful, many are scams)
[*]Ahmia.fi — Search engine for .onion sites (also accessible on clearnet)
[*]DarkNetLive — News and directory
[*]Tor Metrics — Official statistics about the Tor network

Legitimate Uses of the Dark Web

[*]Privacy-focused communication — ProtonMail, Signal, SecureDrop for whistleblowers
[*]Journalism — BBC, New York Times, ProPublica all have .onion sites
[*]Research — Academic research on cybersecurity, privacy, and censorship
[*]Censorship evasion — Access blocked content in restrictive countries
[*]Privacy tools — Find and test privacy-focused services

Critical Safety Rules

DO:

[*]Keep Tor Browser updated — security patches are critical
[*]Use HTTPS-only mode
[*]Verify .onion links from multiple sources before visiting
[*]Use a separate device or VM for dark web browsing
[*]Be skeptical of everything — scams are rampant

DON'T:

[*]Never use your real name, email, or personal info
[*]Never download files from unknown sources
[*]Never enable JavaScript unless absolutely necessary
[*]Never full-screen the Tor Browser (reveals screen resolution)
[*]Never access personal accounts (Gmail, Facebook) through Tor
[*]Never engage in illegal activities — law enforcement actively monitors dark web markets

The Reality Check

Most of the dark web is honestly boring — forums, basic websites, and a lot of dead links. The media dramatizes it significantly. The real value is in privacy and freedom of information, not in anything illegal.

If you're interested in online privacy, the dark web is worth understanding. Just be smart, be safe, and stay legal.