The Dark Web Has 12 Valid Uses

Despite its nefarious reputation, the dark web serves a variety of respectable and legal objectives. We'll look at 12 legitimate uses in this article.

The term "black web" frequently conjures up images of something frightening and sinister. While the dark web is home to some dubious information, it also serves a number of genuine purposes, including as assisting citizens in circumventing government censorship and providing an extra layer of anonymity to email services.

The following are 12 valid reasons to use the dark web.

[1]. Getting Around Government Censorship

While online anonymity has allowed unlawful content to thrive on the dark web, it has also made it possible for residents in authoritarian countries to circumvent government-imposed internet prohibitions.

Governments all across the world try to limit what their citizens can see on the internet. A citizen's internet activity can be hidden from a spying government using the dark web. Users could utilise the dark web to disguise information such as the websites they visited and their location.

[2]. Services for anonymous email

While there are several encrypted email services available on the surface web, users who want an extra layer of privacy can visit the dark web. ProtonMail, which is backed by the Tor network and protects user privacy, combats censorship, and avoids user surveillance, is the most well-known email service on the dark web.

There are additional dark web-only email providers, the most well-known of which being Torbox and Mail2Tor, which can only be accessed through the Tor browser.

[3]. Journalist Collaboration With Anonymity

Whistleblowers, for example, may feel more comfortable contacting journalists if they remain anonymous.

SecureDrop is a communication tool that makes use of the Tor network to allow sources and journalists to communicate anonymously. Forbes, Vice Media, and the New Yorker are among the news organizations that use it.

[4]. Visit News Organizations

While everyone with an internet connection can access the internet anywhere in the globe, international governments occasionally restrict news websites. The dark web has shown to be a useful tool in combating censorship, with ProPublica, an investigative journalism company, establishing a presence on the dark web in 2016.

Citizens all across the world can access ProPublica's Tor-accessible website anonymously, even if their government has prohibited it on the surface web.

The New York Times and the BBC have both built dark web versions of their websites on the Tor network, following ProPublica's lead.

[5]. Anonymously contact the CIA

The CIA established an official presence on the dark web in 2019. While it may appear that a government agency would be present on the dark web, the website is geared at people who wish to contact the CIA but are concerned about being monitored.

[6]. Academic Research Access

Academic research might be difficult to obtain—you may have to pay a large amount just to read a single article.

On the dark web, the American Journal of Freestanding Research Psychology attempted to tackle this dilemma by providing free access to scholarly papers. Even better, you don't have to worry about viewing the articles being legal because every academic paper hosted on the site was submitted by the original writers.

[7]. Search Engines Without Ads

Search engines are the backbone of the internet, allowing individuals to access information quickly and simply. However, adverts frequently accompany search engine results, which can distract you from your search.

On the dark web, several search engines, such as DuckDuckGo, have mirrors. You can search the surface web here while being anonymous and avoiding advertising.

No one will ever know what you're looking for this way, and you'll escape those annoying advertising.

[8]. Your Cryptocurrency Wallets Should Be Safe

While cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin have numerous advantages, one of the most significant disadvantages is that each transaction is public and traceable.

Wasabi Wallet and Shadow Wallet, for example, use techniques like coinjoins and tumbling to increase the anonymity of bitcoin transactions and make it impossible to track a specific coin.

[9]. Social Media Access

Almost everyone with internet access uses at least one of the most popular social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. A number of dark web social media platforms have emerged over time, with BlackBook, Galaxy, and TorBook among the most prominent.

Surprisingly, some of our favorite surface-web social media services, such as Twitter and Facebook, have developed dark-web mirror sites for individuals who want to dodge government surveillance.

[10]. Listen to Radio Online

The radio is no longer confined to the airwaves. On the dark web, there are a lot of radio stations from which you can choose.

Deep Web Radio is one of the most prominent radio station sites on the dark web, where you may listen to a variety of stations that specialize in various genres.

[11]. Look for niche content.

Numerous niche and specialized groups, blogs, and websites can be found on the dark web.

The Chess, which allows users to play an anonymous game of chess versus a stranger, is one of the most well-known niche sites on the dark web. Beneath VT is a popular site dedicated to exploring the steam tunnels beneath Virgina Tech, complete with a map, trip log, and a list of potential dangers of tunnel exploration.

[12]. Participate in discussion boards and forums.

Chat boards and forums on the dark web bring communities together who want to talk about things anonymously that they might be uncomfortable discussing otherwise.

Paradise is one of the most prominent dark web forums, where members may debate social concerns and challenges in the world while remaining anonymous.

[How to Make the Most of the Dark Web]

Despite the dark web's bad rep, there are some bright spots, such as sites that serve legal and lawful reasons.

While finding something on the black web isn't always straightforward, there are specialized search engines that can help users discover exactly what they're looking for.