Decoded: What is dark web and is it really such a bad place to be in?

 There is a whole lot more to the web not accessible to everyone. People call it the dark web. Curious to know what the dark web is, who uses it, and why it is a maligned space? Let's take a look

From looking things up on search engines to ordering food, reading news and booking cabs, we use web services every day. But do you know the web as we know it is just a fraction of the actual web space. Yes, and that is why it is called the surface web. It is available for access to anyone and everyone with access to the internet. There is a whole lot more to the web which is not accessible to everyone. People call it the dark web. Curious to know what the dark web is, who uses it, and why it is a maligned space? Let’s take a look:

What is the Dark Web?
It is that uncharted part of the web which is not accessible to everyone

The Dark Web is a reality that has existed since the beginning of the internet. While there is a load of information indexed on the web and easily accessible by anyone with internet connectivity, irrespective of geography, there is even more information and data that does not come to your notice because it is hidden and requires special privileges to access. This uncharted part of the web is called the Dark Web.
How is the Dark Web different from the surface web?
Information on the dark web is not defined by regulations and content policies. Moreover, web pages serving information on the dark web do not appear on search engine result pages, or SERPs, like those of Google and Bing because they are hidden and not indexed. Therefore, the dark web includes information that is not easily accessible by everyone. Besides, the web pages serving up information on the dark web are marked unsafe by browsers and do not open on regular internet browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari.
Who uses the dark web?
Criminals for illegal activities
Investigative journalists to acquire info from secret sources
Whistleblowers to expose corporate, govt scams

Dark Web is home to all sorts of information but it has gained a bad name because of the prevalence of widespread illegal content, such as illicit pornography, sale of black market drugs, sale of illegal firearms, illegally acquired user databases, etc. The availability of such illegal content makes the dark web a playground for nefarious activities. Among positive use cases, investigative journalists are able to gather information from sources using the dark without risking their identity, and whistleblowers use it to expose corruption at corporations and in governments.