deep web

The Benefits of the Deep Web Many people equate deep web with illegal activity, but in reality, the vast majority of the deep web is completely legal and benign. For example, most of us use parts of the deep web on a regular basis—such as password-protected email accounts, restricted portions of Netflix and other subscription services, or the service side of our bank websites. Even the members-only forums and wikis we use at work are part of the deep web. To access the deep web, you need a special browser and the appropriate credentials, which are usually user IDs and passwords. This is why you’ve probably used deep web content without realizing it for years, such as the private pages of your email or social media accounts, the SSRN repository where academic papers are hosted, and your company’s private database and website backend. It offers privacy in an age when a quick background check can reveal intimate details about an individual, and governments and corporations collect citizens’ personal information on a massive scale. Deep web sites use encryption to keep their content from being indexed by search engines, and the information stored on them is accessible only with credentials—usually a username and password. Unfortunately, the dark web does contain some dangerous activities, such as illegal marketplaces where people sell sensitive information like credit card numbers or health records, and where criminals can purchase cyberattack tools. In addition, these lawless segments of the deep web can allow users to bypass regional restrictions and download movies or music they’re not allowed to watch or listen to in their localities.